Any feature shot on a bolex???

[abalex]

Does anyone knows anything about features shot on a bolex?

Thanks
G.

 

[Barry_Green]

That would be an excruciating task. A Bolex is a thing of beauty, certainly, but shooting a feature film on one? That's like showing up to the Kentucky Derby riding a Kangaroo. Wrong tool for the job.

 

[ropbo]

"Pi" from Darren Aronofsky was shot on an Aaton XTR-Prod and a Bolex (a few shots only).

That's the only one I know of.

There's also a few listed on IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/SearchTechnical?CAM:Bolex

but I suspect most of those are short-films.

 

[donatello]

all 2nd unit/ MOS scenes were shot on Bolex for "The Money Tree "... rest of film was shot on NPR

here's 320x240 wmv of begin few min ..90% bolex

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/bonato@pacbell.net/lst?.dir=/moneytree&.view=l

 

[David G. Smith]

Being a proud owner of a Bolex Rex 4, I am right there with Barry. If you are looking to shoot a feature, look for another camera to be your primay camera. I would suggest the Arri SR series of cameras. I love them. They are quite, rock steady and have a great line up of lenses to choose from. If you are wanting to shoot a 16mm feature, "guerilla style" with a camera, use what you have, but I would try to find something with is at least crystal sync, at 24fps and would take 1000 foot loads. Having a Bolex along the way, for pick-ups and what not is very cool, but as the primary camera, no way.

 

[JPatnaude]

Yes-- In fact there is a documentary that comes to mind shot with a Bolex 16mm, wind up camera. It produced some stunning images too. It does look like older 16mm, but it still holds up IMHO.

It's called "Alone In The Wilderness", and was done by a guy named Dick Proenneke building a cabin by hand in the Alaskan wilderness. Amazing story. I dont know how I ever missed it before, since I worked at a PBS station starting out for 4 years.

So this 52 year old guy goes up to Twin Lakes, in the wilderness of Alaska...alone.
He builds and furnishes a cabin by hand with an axe and hand tools. He used the bolex to shoot a journel of his day-to-day progress. The shots of the wilderness lake in pristine condition and the surrounding forest is breath taking. This guy didn't mess around either. He carried all of his tools and stones for the fireplace, and groceries in a canoe.

I dont mean to go on so much about this, but he shot everything himself. He'd set up the camera and then walk into frame and paddle off in the canoe, etc.. He lived up there for 30 years by himself. A Canadian got ahold of the film and put the doc together afterwards.

Jeff Patnaude

 

[JohnH]

I believe the balance of Peter Jackson's first film Bad Taste was shot on a bolex. If you watch the "making of" documentary you even see a very interesting crane which Jackson handbuilt to hoist the Bolex aloft.