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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

I was a little distracted by the heavy eyeliner, unless her lashes really are that thick...

I didn't see much to improve on -- obviously you could have waited for even nicer light in some locations, but not everyone can wait for the perfect weather and time of day. A few shots it looked like the focus was off. Maybe you could have added a little more contrast when the light got really flat outside, with some negative fill and/or some added contrast in post.
 
Hope you don't mind another comment on your short Shawn. Not being David :biggrin: , so take mine as it is. I really liked the short and agree with David on the adding more contrast. As a colourist, I would have loved to have pushed a bit more on that end, just for a little more punch, but overall it is all very nicely done, especially considering you light sources.
 
Hello David, After having shot on both film and then RED (I presume you have..?) and other formats and cameras - in your opinion is RED the second best thing after Film?
 
I haven't taken my RED footage out to 35mm film for comparison in a film print, so I don't have any final opinions in regards to RED versus 35mm film.

My unscientific and subjective opinion right now, if the best picture quality in a 35mm theatrical print was the ultimate goal, I'd say that any large format film process (IMAX, VistaVision, 5-perf 65mm) would look the best, followed by 35mm anamorphic photography contact-printed.

After that, it's a toss-up between Super-35 going through a D.I. and some of the digital cameras I've seen, including the RED. Some visual aspects are better than others with all of them. I'd have to shoot some real comparison tests to make up my mind. I've been a bit disappointed with some of my Super-35 footage that has gone through a D.I. pipeline so I'm curious to take a 4K Bayer RAW camera project through the same pipeline and see if I'm happier or not. Otherwise, I'd almost rather do what Wally Pfister did with the first Batman movie, just shoot 35mm anamorphic and contact-print it.

But it does say something that I still think that the ultimate picture quality still comes from a film format, albeit a very expensive and cumbersome one (IMAX).

We work in the real world though where other things have to be factored in to our decision-making process, including cost. 4K digital cinema cameras have the potential for a decent cost-to-quality ratio.
 
David Mullen ASC said:
I haven't taken my RED footage out to 35mm film for comparison in a film print, so I don't have any final opinions in regards to RED versus 35mm film.
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If you do have a final opinion after having done so please do let me know.

Yes I love RED and have even spoken about the death of film in 15 years (nope I don't want to go there) yet there is just something about film that makes me sigh.. like it's ALIVE.

Thanks for taking the time to answer.
 
David.

I have an opportunity to look at some HMI's with magnetic ballasts. Originally going with low budget kinos, lanterns etc... but these are arris and good price. Are they worth the enquiry? 2.5k, 6k, 4k some smaller ones... One is a 2.5k par i believe...
 
Arri lights will last forever, they are a good investment. Mag ballasts are a lot more reliable than electronic, and as long as you obey the rules, there should be no flicker issues.

Buying Arri is always a good choice. All parts are still in stock, and Irem is still making the Ballasts, so no worries there.

Nick
 
I have an older Arri 2.5k and a 4k. I ditched the mag ballasts for electronic as the mags were so freaking heavy. I mostly use 1.2 and 575 because most of my shoots don't include a genny, and without a genny these bigger lights are useless. Great on the bigger jobs though.
 
Mark Crabtree said:
I have an older Arri 2.5k and a 4k. I ditched the mag ballasts for electronic as the mags were so freaking heavy. I mostly use 1.2 and 575 because most of my shoots don't include a genny, and without a genny these bigger lights are useless. Great on the bigger jobs though.
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Mark, it's fairly easy to make a dyer drop that will give you two 30amp 110v plugins off of a standard dryer plugin available in pretty much every apt and house. I run my 2.5kw LTM HMI Par without problem. Also if you have access to 50amp range sockets, you could make a range drop that would power your 4k as well.
 
True, we used to do that, but we have found that we have better dependability with a generator, considering all the issues that tieing in to a location involve. Like condition of the box, wiring, experience of the electrician and security of the tie in site. So, we go genny or we use edison only. It make it problematic to do our own low budget projects with these lights, which is why I'm looking for a used crystal controlled genny.
 
Mark Crabtree said:
True, we used to do that, but we have found that we have better dependability with a generator, considering all the issues that tieing in to a location involve. Like condition of the box, wiring, experience of the electrician and security of the tie in site. So, we go genny or we use edison only. It make it problematic to do our own low budget projects with these lights, which is why I'm looking for a used crystal controlled genny.
Click to expand...

You misunderstand me, I'm not talking about tieing in, just plugging into an existing 30amp 220v dryer socket, very plug and play, requires no 'electrician' beyond a grip to plug it in.
 
I think Shawn Mark did understood (correct me if I am wrong...). He was referring to the condition of the wiring in the location (blowing fuses, hot ground, etc...). We have accidentally pull down the power of an entire apartment building (36 flats) in India due to faulty wiring in the apartment where we were filming...
 
Peter Majtan said:
I think Shawn Mark did understood (correct me if I am wrong...). He was referring to the condition of the wiring in the location (blowing fuses, hot ground, etc...). We have accidentally pull down the power of an entire apartment building (36 flats) in India due to faulty wiring in the apartment where we were filming...
Click to expand...

He couldnt have understood what I meant, because 'condition of the box', 'electrician', 'tieing in' and 'security' have NOTHING to do with the method I am doing, simply taking a known good 30amp socket and using it within bounds.
 
AngusChandler said:
Just cause its a "30 amp socket" doesn't mean that it can handle 30 amps, doesn't mean the wiring is good, etc.

Anyway...
Click to expand...

Thats why I suggest a dryer socket thats currently in the habit of sustaining a 30amp draw from a dryer. Oh well, I've hijacked David's thread long enough. Rent gennies.
 
Thanks everyone. Great info.
Heres what the seller suggests (his own words pasted) for location low budget that i will fill with some kinos and lanterns.

Hello - 2 X 1.2 pars @ $4200 (with lamps) - $8400
2 X stands @ $180(with lazy legs) - $360
1 X 1.2 lamp - $750
2 X shot bags - $50
sub total $9560


for the budget, I would go for this -

1 X 200 arri fres(with 2 lamps) - $1500
1 X 575 ltm fres(with 2 lamps) - $1500
1 X 1.2 quartz colour fres(3 lamps) - $2000
1 X 1.2 par (2 lamps) - $4950
1 X smaller stand for 200 arri - $70
3 X larger stands with lazy legs - $540
4 X shot bags - $100
sub total - $10660

Does it look like a good buy? Which way would you go?
 
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