Sony F3 with S-log for Comedy Central's "Key & Peele"

CharlesPapert

CharlesPapert

Director of Photography
Last year I shot the first season of the Comedy Central sketch series "Key & Peele" on two Sony F3's outfitted with Alura zooms, recording out to XDCAM disc recorders. Our mission was to give each sketch a unique look and the extra latitude and range of S-log gave us plenty of ability to manipulate footage on the Davinci as required. For the second season I've moved on to Alexas, for various reasons.

Here is a Vimeo playlist of assorted sketches:
https://vimeo.com/channels/311011

and here is a slightly different selection on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3411782D2EDD47DD&feature=edit_ok

Below: my B camera crew standing by between setups.

papertkandp.jpg
 
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Nice, thanks for posting. I'll have to check out the first season. Why did you not use the Alexa the first season?
 
Budgetary reasons. We shot the pilot on the 1DMKIV and clearly needed to move upwards from that (from those links, "I Said *****" and the Hell's Kitchen spoof are from the pilot) but couldn't fit the Alexa into the budget for first season. I was very pleased with what we got out of the F3--my biggest issues were having to use an outboard recorder (we had some trouble with lost/corrupted footage initially, hence the move to XDCAM recorders) and the lack of a proper viewfinder system. The Alexa has of course solved all of that and you can't fault that image quality. But still--the F3 produced admirable pictures.
 
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holy gosh that looks great. what was your lighting sceme for the first piece with the guys who shoot that guy? and using the optimo lens?

also what external recorder did you go to?
 
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eddavid said:
what was your lighting sceme for the first piece with the guys who shoot that guy? and using the optimo lens?
Click to expand...

That would have been on the two Aluras (18-80 and 45-250) between A and B camera.

I had a few HMI heads outside the windows--4K pars and M18 (1.8K). One each through window and the transom above the door for the light pattern on the back wall, and then at least one more for the side key on the actors (topped with a diffusion frame across the faces, allowing the hard light to play on their bodies). For the coverage, some adjustment in positioning and intensity of the key with augmentation as needed with smaller units inside the room.

As far as external recorder, as noted we used Sony XDCAM disc recorders, at the DIT station. So we were always cabled, which wasn't the easiest to manage especially for Steadicam shots (check out "Tea Party Sweetheart" on the Vimeo page and think about the cable pull on that sketch)!
 
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The F3 is the best camera for cinematography at this price range, but credit where credit is due. I believe that this DP could have done an awesome job with an iPhone. It is all about the eye of the cinematographer.
I wanted to say Charles Papert instead of DP but I don't know for a fact that you were just the cameraman or both. I know that now days it is all the same, but I know on some productions use both a DP and a cameraman like in the old days.
Wish ever it is, it is awesome cinematography, directing, acting, writing, editing, grading, etc.
 
Hi Douglas, thanks! I was indeed the DP on "Key & Peele" (and still am--about to head off to set now). FYI "Director of Photography", "DP", DOP", "Cinematographer", "Cameraman"--these are all synonymous terms. I used to work more as a camera operator, which is a distinct job. "Cameraman" is the most old-fashioned and misunderstood term of the bunch--it did and does refer to the DP back in the day, but in later years has been used as a generic term for the person holding the camera by the general public. The old terminology for the department (followed by modern equivalent) was Cameraman (DP), Operating Cameraman (Operator), 1st Assistant Cameraman (1st AC) etc. On "Key and Peele", I am solely the DP; I have two operators (we shoot with two cameras whenever possible). This allows me to oversee both sets of images and focus more specifically on the lighting than if I were in the thick of it with my eye buried in an eyepiece. I much prefer it this way and don't miss operating at all!

cheers,

Charles
 
I thought so, but I don't like to step on people's toes so I wanted to make sure.
Most people think it is the tool you use, but it's the user. The tool just makes it more or less convenient for the job.
That is why you are now using the Arri. I seriously doubt that we will see a difference in quality, but it is more convenient for you and you now have the budget.
Looking forward to more episodes.
 
Thanks for sharing those videos... "Flicker" is one of my favorite things right now. The way the sound design and photography compliment each other is spot on. Great work!
 
Sort of the point--the intention was too make it look like anything but comedy, to complement the mock-serious tone.
 
Very cool stuff Charles!

That's amazing, I would love to work on a comedy central show like that, Key and Peele has been great and had some really funny/original stuff on it.

Can't wait to see what you guys do with Alexas!
 
Looks nice. I wish we could watch it in 1080p instead of low resolution. Is the show available in blu-ray or 1080p some where?
 
Charles, any of the videos on vimeo shot on the F3 with SLOG? Sttratos is looking for some really good examples of cinematic looks derived from the F3 w/slog.
 
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