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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Ask David Mullen ANYTHING

Cinematography is a form of visual communication, so becoming steeped in literature and narrative can't hurt as a filmmaker. It also doesn't hurt to know how to express yourself in writing -- not just in the film industry but in life in general.

But obviously the benefits to one's career as a cinematographer are subtle at best.

In general, I think it's good to have some knowledge in areas outside of filmmaking, if only to make you a well-rounded artist and individual. So I've never been completely convinced that a BA in filmmaking was a good idea for an 18-to-22-year-old; it's a bit early to specialize.
 
Hey David,

Thanks for responding to my earlier question. I now have another one. I'm wanting to shoot my upcoming project with anamorphic lenses. So should I use something like this, http://cgi.ebay.com/ALAN-ANAMORPHIC...31767856?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3a4ee58530 or this http://cgi.ebay.com/Sankor-16C-Anam...74654613?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item2a0b169095? I'm just the director so I'm not super technical with these things but I'll forward to my DP. Also what would you recommend for shooting settings? We are using RED :)
 
Andrew Phillip said:
Hey David,

Thanks for responding to my earlier question. I now have another one. I'm wanting to shoot my upcoming project with anamorphic lenses. So should I use something like this, http://cgi.ebay.com/ALAN-ANAMORPHIC...31767856?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3a4ee58530 or this http://cgi.ebay.com/Sankor-16C-Anam...74654613?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item2a0b169095? I'm just the director so I'm not super technical with these things but I'll forward to my DP. Also what would you recommend for shooting settings? We are using RED :)
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The first lens a 609mm F16 lens is not going to be of much use to anyone, the second one has few details but I doubt it will be very useful either. I think you will need a 'set' of lenses, why not just ask your DOP what he needs for the script, and go from there?
 
David Mullen ASC said:
Cinematography is a form of visual communication, so becoming steeped in literature and narrative can't hurt as a filmmaker. It also doesn't hurt to know how to express yourself in writing -- not just in the film industry but in life in general.

But obviously the benefits to one's career as a cinematographer are subtle at best.

In general, I think it's good to have some knowledge in areas outside of filmmaking, if only to make you a well-rounded artist and individual. So I've never been completely convinced that a BA in filmmaking was a good idea for an 18-to-22-year-old; it's a bit early to specialize.
Click to expand...

Thanks David for your time! I definitely agree that it can't hurt to be steeped in literature. Though as you say, the benefits aren't exactly direct. Happy shooting.

Evan
 
hi david,
i cannot test split diopter so if you have to buy two of it wich grade do you can suggest me?
wich one give you more flexibility during shooting?
i'm interested to use it not as a fake deep of field but as particular effect like in this video:
http://vimeo.com/15084621

p.s:does the diopter change also focal lenght?how i can calculate this?
thanks
ivan
 
I can't tell from the video which strength they used. Normally you'd rent a set, +1/2, +1, +2, +3. They are regular diopters cut in half so you can use the tables for regular diopters to see how much they offset the focus compared to the distance setting on the lens, which would be for the clear half of the image. I would think a pretty light one would be enough for the effect in the music video.

They don't change the focal length much, slightly I guess with the light grades. Technically though they are magnifying elements and affect the focal length. See here:

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=001Fl7
http://imaginatorium.org/stuff/cufilter.htm
 
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Hey David, quick question.

Can a diffusion filter (specifically the Classic Soft) cause problems when using wide angle lenses? The filters have these little micro lensets in the glass and I was wondering if they (the little dots) can show up on a wide lens like an 18mm if you are focusing close to the lens. Thanks.

Second question, do you think that diffusion filters could help make Red footage look more filmic since they slightly soften the image? I have an upcoming project where we are trying to create a very convincing (even for DP's) film look and we are looking into options for adding real film grain (or simulated if real grain is not possible) to the footage. Any advice or suggestions? I saw some Manure footage that looked very filmic. Did you shoot without filters for this project and was there any post manipulation beyond color correction?
 
Yes, any pattern in a diffusion filter, or net, can come into focus when you stop down too much and/or use a really wide-angle lens. It's more of a problem when the pattern is large like the Classic Softs, which is why Schneider made the HD Classic Softs, which have a finer, smaller pattern.

Tiffen's diffusing lenslets in the Black Diffusion-FX are also very fine and small, but they removed the black dot pattern for their Digital Diffusion-FX version for the same reason that Schneider made the HD Classic Softs, the dot pattern was coming into focus when you had too much depth of field (though in both cases, they were primarily thinking of the smaller sensor market when designing these new filters, but they work fine on larger sensor cameras.)

I don't necessarily think Red footage "needs" softening because it's not "edgy" (over edge-enhanced) and I think their OLPF does a good job of keeping the image from getting too crispy and harsh-edged. But the image is very clean. Though it's not the same thing as grain, some people feel that the mist + black particles in filters like Black Frost / Black ProMist add a texture that makes a digital image feel less slick and smooth. These filters have been popular for years for HD cameras.

I used Schneider Classic Black Softs on "Manure" (Classic Softs + 1/8 Black Frost), but a lot of shots had smoke on the set too, which softens the image. There is a Schneider version which combines the 1/8 Black Frost with the HD Classic Soft line, but instead of being called "HD Classic Black Softs" they are called "Hollywood Black Magic". The diffusing effect is more subtle with fewer artifacts due to the smaller size of the lenslets.

I usually rent a sent of Classic Soft Blacks (or Hollywood Black Magic) plus get a straight 1/8 Black Frost and sometimes a 1/4 Black Frost. Since the lightest Classic Soft Black is the 1/8, which is a combination of the 1/8 Black Frost and the 1/8 Classic Soft, that means that a straight 1/8 Black Frost is even lighter in diffusing strength than a 1/8 Classic Black Soft. That way I have a filter for my wide shots that is as light as possible.

Now sometimes I prefer the hazier halation from the 1/4 Black Frost over, let's say, a 1/4 Classic Black Soft, so I have that filter as well, but I play that by ear (or eye.) For example, if I had someone in a smoked room, I might use the 1/8 Classic Black Soft for the close-ups, or the 1/4, but when they stepped into another room without smoke, or outside, I might use the 1/4 Black Frost (or even 1/2) because it has a slightly hazier look and would blend the footage better to the shots made in a smoked room.

I also sometimes use the 1/8 White Frost instead as well, which lowers contrast even more than a 1/8 Black Frost.
 
So let's say that I was shooting a lot with an 18 mm Red Pro Prime, I would A.) want to use the Hollywood Black Magic because they were designed for small sensors/deep DOF/wide angle lenses or B.) use a 1/8 Classic Black Soft or an even lighter 1/8 Black Frost? I assume that the lower the diffusion of the filter (1/8 for example) the smaller the lenslet pattern on the filter compared to say a Classic Black Soft 1 which should have larger lenslets.

So If I was shooting a lot of deep focus/wide angle in S35 or if I was using a Scarlet 2/3, the Hollywood Black Magic should help me avoid the filter pattern showing up in the footage?
 
Depends a bit on what stop you'll be shooting at -- wide-open you might be fine with most diffusion on an 18mm if you are not focused near minimum. But of course, since an 18mm is more likely to be used on a wide shot, you'd probably not want much diffusion anyway.

I'd stick to the Frost filters if you are prone to using very wide-angle lenses. Even they can come into focus though if you stop down too much, so bring some ND's with you. If you are planning on shooting for a "Citizen Kane" style deep focus, I'd leave any softening to post at that point.

Beyond frosts, such as the Schneider Black Frost, if you want more softening rather than glow/halation/mist, I might try the Hollywood Black Magics or HD Classic Softs (or Tiffen Digital Diffusion-FX) rather than any strength of regular Classic Softs. The lenslets in the 1/8 Classic Soft are not much smaller than they are in the 1/4 or 1/2, they are just more spaced apart in some ways, so they can still show up if too wide-angle or too stopped down.

Kubrick was fond of LowCon filters by the way, you can see them heavily in "Barry Lyndon" but also some bits of "Eyes Wide Shut" and even "Full Metal Jacket". A Black Frost or White Frost will give you some similar effects.
 
We're currently using the Hollywood black magics, they're very nice but for TV we tend to use 1 and 2 strength pretty much exclusively. I'm also fond of the traditional film classic softs on the Red, mostly because they don't affect contrast and allow for a wide range of softening from 1/8th for wides and masters to 1 and 2 for close ups on actors that need a little help smoothing out the skin detail.
 
I guess it would be useful for me to find out the focus distance on an 18mm right before the lenslet pattern shows up, that way I know how close my subject can get to the lens. I had in mind a shot where the actor is close to the camera in focus so that they are slightly distorted but still have a diffusion effect on their face. Thanks David for your help. You were in a great Schneider video on their website describing you filter preferences which I found very helpful as well.
 
I also have a very fine black net, made with some very light black tule / veil material from a wholesale fabric store, stretched and glued onto a 4x5 filter tray. I find it to be similar in strength to a 1/2 to 1 Hollywood Black Magic or Classic Soft. Not that I'd use it in front of an 18mm...

I tend to use the 1/4 Classic Softs for close-ups, 1/2 at the strongest, at least so far on the shows I've shot on the Genesis camera.
 
David Lagos said:
Here's a quick budget-oriented question:

You have $20,000 to create your lighting kit. You want to cover all your bases (indoor, outdoor lighting, etc) and get the most you can out of it using a Red One Mysterium X sensor.

What do you get?

What do you get?
Click to expand...

David's advice is excellent, of course, but as someone who has bought and rented a lot of lights, I cannot recommend CoolLights.biz enough. You'll see that you can get a great LED and other units he recommends a bit cheaper at Coollights - and they are truly stellar.
 
David,

I have an upcoming small budget feature that the director is wanting that cold/washed out/gritty visual feel similar to "The Road" and "28 Days Later". Location is in MN, so we will have a lot of grey sky coming up, but there are some blue sky moments.

Would you suggest trying to get the look out of the camera close by using filters and adjusting camera colors, or just get the best clean image you could in camera and give the colorist the most latitude to achieve that look?
 
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Joel Jameson said:
David,

I have an upcoming small budget feature that the director is wanting that cold/washed out/gritty visual feel similar to "The Road" and "28 Days Later". Location is in MN, so we will have a lot of grey sky coming up, but there are some blue sky moments.

Would you suggest trying to get the look out of the camera close by using filters and adjusting camera colors, or just get the best clean image you could in camera and give the colorist the most latitude to achieve that look?
Click to expand...

Well, neither of those two movies are what I would describe as diffused-looking, so diffusion filters wouldn't be appropriate anyway -- most of that look is done with timing and production design, maybe some smoke on sets.

So in terms of the blue sky, obviously you can easily desaturate this in post. In general, colors are stronger in front light, weaker in backlight, so shoot in backlight if the sun comes out and avoid colorful objects in the frame. If you can, use some large silks to soften the sun.

But I think a lot of this is going to come from the production design and costuming, and then the color timing. Like I said, maybe some smoke in interiors would help desaturate in-camera. The only reason to try filters like UltraCons or DigiCons outside in sunlight is just whether you felt it would help blend that footage better to the overcast stuff.

Have you seen my work in "Northfork" -- it was shot in Montana in the spring:
http://www.davidmullenasc.com/page4/page3/page3.html

Most of the look is from the location and production design, though I worked hard to pull down the color of the film stock as well since we did not do a D.I. I did everything I could to wash-out the image on the negative (flashing, smoke, ProMist filters) and then restored the blacks in the print using a silver printing process (and also softening the colors further that way.) But the video transfer that these frames were taken from was off of a normal I.P. so I had to create some of the skip-bleach print look in the color-correction by adding more contrast and reducing the color saturation.
 
As always, a great big Thank you David!

This gives me a great place to start testing this week.
 
Aaron Champion said:
I am a DP in Kentucky who is moving to LA in a month. What is a good way to make a career as a DP (best way to get started) in la. Any Advice on my demo reel? Www.zogreo.com

Thank you!
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Not sure if I have any good advice -- when I was making my own movies here in Los Angeles, I couldn't figure out how to break in either, other than some low-budget music video / karaoke work. So I went to film school here and after graduation, started getting work thru fellow graduates. But I'm not sure that's helpful.

You pretty much have to be willing to go out and shoot anything for awhile, just to build up the contacts.

The reel is good but I'd say you could shorten it down to 2 minutes and it would become stronger just by trimming the less interesting shots.
 
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