Can we talk more about different "looks"

M

matthewd5

Veteran
i am really fascinated by the different looks that the pro's achieve and i would really like to have a discussion on here about not so much how to copy a look, but to better understand how they got a look.

like se7en, it had a high contrasty look, what can you do to get that sort of look with high contrast and where the whites aren't quite as white.

i'm not sure how to explain it but the whites seemed like they had a cut-off where they weren't too white, especially on the interior scenes.

i would really love some in-depth specific talk about this.

matthew
 
Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

I've been thinking about a technical series they did in American Cinematographer magazine some years ago - I think it was called Reflections?

Anyway, what they did was show a frame grab of a complete set with talent on it and then a plan view of the set-up (CAD, lighting template or just hand-drawn on a napkin) showing fixtures used, relative f-stop with each fixtures' relative over or under exposure, gel / diffusion type and rough attitude of the individual fixtures.

I learned more about lighting through reading these three page articles than any other lighting textbook. We could do the same thing here when we shoot individual tests or scenes of interest for larger projects.

Simply take a screen grab of the scene, then describe by illustration the methods used (and camera settings!) to achieve it. I've read a ton of threads here where people say, "...how did you do that!?".

If this has been suggested before, then I hope that perhaps we might start to see this tool presented here! It would be a great addition to the already dense amount of information available through DVXUser.

I'll work one up over the next couple of days and post an example.

Cheers,

e
 
Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

of course we would like something like that!

i wish someone would do a weekend seminar on that but i'm not sure how camera specific it might be?

as i asked a week or two ago, the show "without a trace" has a very distrinct look.

it is very contrasty and has a look that i would absolutely love to know how they did it.

i think i could come close with the right lighting and i'm thinking a black pro mist filter.

its hard to know how much of the look is a "film thing" that would be harder? to do on video?

maybe i'm weird, but i try to get looks with lighting, camera and filters vs. in post production.

matthew
 
Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

ok, i can't believe there aren't like 50 replies to this??

i mean right now we are watching "the day after tomorrow" and i'd love to know how to get the look they have on the interior scenes, the colors are super warm and exceptionally pretty.

not sure if it is a tobacco filter maybe?

matthew
 
Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&a

Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&a

There is a very good book called, "Reflections, twenty one cinematographers at work." ASC press, by Benjamin Bergery which overlandfilms is referring to.

It has set ups by various people showing their lighting arrangements & include their reasoning on how & why to light a set, etc...including Darius Khondji ASC, AFC, the cinematographer for Seven.

Darius talks about the importance of Light Direction, where it is coming from, which was a corner stone of his visual design for Seven. Often characters are outside of where the light is, and he positions the lights at a distance & sculpts them with flags which he always softens, to bring it down & diffuse it. Often light sources are behind the character which silhoutte them, either they be practicals: lamps, car head lights, windows, fixtures, etc...

The camera type isn't that relevant, lighting is.

Anyways, check it out.

The Day After Tomorrow appears to use lighting & color that tints the whites with a touch of Cyan. The snow isn't pure white, cyan adds a blue snow look, a really cold look, much of it being digital mattes. This cold look contrasts with the warm glow of fire, lights, etc... so this contrast emphasizes the sense of warmness. I think this is the product of good visual design. Cinematographers focus much energy on lighting a set for the emotional feel intended to serve & tell the story. The theme of the story seems to be, don't screw up the environment or we'll die. The cold blue look represents Death, while the warm glow of fire represents humanity and life. The lighting helps get the message through...and they did a good job at it.

These images could also be the result of color correction. The daVinci 2k color correctors offer incredible control over image  using  afeature called "power windows' to selectively manipulate areas within a shot. I don't know what they used for these films but digital intermediates with cc are becoming ever increasingly common.

enjoy!
 
Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q


ok i just checked out that book on amazon and the info is pretty limited. if i were to just go of off what they have it sounds like a book super focused on film. not just film but specific films and emulsions and lab tests etc.

is there really enough in there for someone who shoots with a dvx-100??

matthew
 
Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

Matthew, this is the "book" we can collectively write online through the BBS.  If our community has this exercise in mind, we can learn to better make notes of our set-ups when we find those precious moments of downtime.

I'm testing a new rig this month and will make notes of all the set-ups as I run them.  Lighting templates, which any DP should have anyway, can be purchased very inexpensively through FilmTools.  

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/cinemasupplies/1stplte1.html

We're all bringing our collective experience and shortcomings to the table here - it makes sense to start building a database of grabs and plan views to act as aids for research and those just getting started.

The files (or threads) could be named for the scene depicted in the thread:

DAY - INT. - COLA BOTTLING FACTORY

Then, the first thing you see is a grab or series of different angles as seen by the camera.  The sketch could accompany this and then allow for realtime dialogue between the BBS members.

How would the powers that be feel about this?  I'm kind of enthused about trying it out.

e
 
Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

Oh, if we need hosting for the images (they don't seem to actually reside on the BBS server) I'd volunteer my sites' 100G if that'll make a dent!

e
 
Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&a

Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&a

Matthewd5, the Reflections book deals with Film, just like the movies you're interested in. Will it help someone with a DVX....I don't see why not, the information is on lighting, some on the film process, that will not hurt you, ......................... information that will help you craft a look that serves the story will put you on the path toward craftsmanship.

Cameras, film, HD SD, etc....they're an important part of the equation but many of the things you can learn cross over regardless of the tools employed.

Have Barnes & Noble order it, then when it comes in check it out & see if you want to buy it.
 
Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

The book is a fantastic read. Maybe you like the "softness" of a certain light - look and find out what light - does it have any diffusion - is it shot through a silk or bounce off grid cloth....

The examples may be specific to a "film" shoot but the lighting techniques can be easily transferred over to us DVX shooters...hell, I learned most of my techniques from shooting on film first before I came to video...

Also, subscribe to American Cinematographer - they have great articles (including one on a DVX short this month! - The Aviator is on the cover)
 
Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

I bought the reflections book recently and it is the best thing I have ever gotten in print to explore the way one thinks and sees to create an image in the camera. There is certainly some stuff that is technical about film, emulsions, etc. But the images, the lighting sets, and more importantly the interviews with the cinematographers is fantastic. Extremely relevant for DVX users.
 
Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

I think I will try this book. Also. The idea where we post looks and explain the settings and how we got it. Im in. I have 100 gigs for hosting too.
 
Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

Re: Can we talk more about different "looks&q

that hold be great, i am trying to get better images, as soon as i make something ill post it
 
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