Ask David Mullen ANYTHING

[Daniel Browning]

Hopefully one day, that's a DVD I'll buy.

One word: fansub!

If it was legal, someone could collect all of David's forum posts and create a commentary subtitle track. It would only work with computer DVD players, though.

As long as we're making wishes, I'd like to see Blu-ray versions of David's movies.

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

As long as we're making wishes, I'd like to see Blu-ray versions of David's movies.

Ditto.


David, are you going to recommend to shoot Epic FF35. If so, what kind of project would it be that would make you think about going FF35? Also, would such a project be more of a combination of different resolutions or would you see yourself shooting a movie in FF35 pretty much through and through?

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Until the camera comes out and I know what sort of lenses I can put on it, I can't answer that question. In the abstract, yes, I can envision shooting on it in some sort of manner, maybe 6K FF35 for wide shots and 4K or 5K S35 for everything else.

 

[Michael Lindsay]

If you are talking about extreme high-speed, like 1000 fps... ...Using a multi-bank light like a MaxiBrute is more risky because it's a bunch of small globes.

to add to what David says... really don't use multi bank stuff for high speed (unless you can work out how to run them DC)...

If you get stuck with them don't dim them. Also you could try splitting up the heads between phases (your gaffer might not fancy it)

regards

Michael L

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

Until the camera comes out and I know what sort of lenses I can put on it, I can't answer that question. In the abstract, yes, I can envision shooting on it in some sort of manner, maybe 6K FF35 for wide shots and 4K or 5K S35 for everything else.

Just what I wanted to hear. Of course 5k S35 isn't S35, but I take it this means that you are not worried about the additional difficulty in focus pulling?

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Sure, I'm always worried, but I shoot anamorphic sometimes for the extra quality and it has focus-pulling issues too -- it's just a judgment call. I have to first see what I'm gaining shooting FF35 versus what I'm losing. If I find myself struggling to pull focus with still camera lenses, then I'm going to save FF35 for the wide shots where the focusing is easier and the extra resolution pays off more.

 

[Jeff Coatney]

David,

Just wanted to say how much I like the work you did on Astronaut Farmer. Really beautiful.

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

Sure, I'm always worried, but I shoot anamorphic sometimes for the extra quality and it has focus-pulling issues too -- it's just a judgment call. I have to first see what I'm gaining shooting FF35 versus what I'm losing. If I find myself struggling to pull focus with still camera lenses, then I'm going to save FF35 for the wide shots where the focusing is easier and the extra resolution pays off more.

You've seen the almost 360° of throw on the Zeiss ZF cine lenses, and I guess it might be safe to assume the best Zeiss has to offer in mechanics will be employed unless a better (non-compact?) set is on the way. Monitoring must not be what concerns you because whatever was being used for shows with 2k post would do. So I guess you might be waiting to see how the lens mechanics will perform? Or what will be the available sensitivity once FF35 is out? Or maaaybe you wonder if we'll be doing post at higher resolutions, or at least that 4k will become more common place in the near future?

 

[David Mullen ASC]

I guess my interest in playing a guessing game with an unreleased technology is limited because I've got more pressing things to learn and think about. When the EPIC becomes available, then I'll start worrying about 5K or 6K workflow and FF35 optics -- and read here how everyone else is dealing with it! Otherwise, when a discussion gets too detailed for an abstract topic, it becomes a time-waster. I think I've already mentioned the basic issues that will have to be addressed but to go into any more detail is pointless until the camera is released.

 

[Gregory Lopez]

By you comments you ar not averse to using still lens to photograph motion pictures. Would you use still lenses on a feature or commercial?

Gregory

 

[David Mullen ASC]

It's one of those "if I had no other options" sort of situation. I'd prefer using lenses designed for cinema-style shooting and focus-pulling.

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

I guess my interest in playing a guessing game with an unreleased technology is limited because I've got more pressing things to learn and think about. When the EPIC becomes available, then I'll start worrying about 5K or 6K workflow and FF35 optics -- and read here how everyone else is dealing with it! Otherwise, when a discussion gets too detailed for an abstract topic, it becomes a time-waster. I think I've already mentioned the basic issues that will have to be addressed but to go into any more detail is pointless until the camera is released.

Absolutely. I thank you for the time you took to hypothesize as far as you already did. :beer:

 

[Gregory Lopez]

It's one of those "if I had no other options" sort of situation. I'd prefer using lenses designed for cinema-style shooting and focus-pulling.

I would dearly like to own a scarlet when they arrive at market, however, it would be difficult to own the lens as well. One lens company proports to modify still lens by "Re-Purposing, by adapting and upgrading them for use in Digital Cinema." What do you think of this as a substitute for cine-style lens?

Gregory

 

[David Mullen ASC]

I have no idea -- sounds good on paper but it really depends on the results.

 

[wicket]

Sunlight effect

Sunlight effect

Hi David, thanks for this great thread.

What kind (and output) of light would you use for this effect:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/3116636177_9641f0fe69.jpg

Shooting on a stage set, iso 320.

Thanks again,

John

 

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

Hi David, thanks for this great thread.

What kind (and output) of light would you use for this effect:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/3116636177_9641f0fe69.jpg

Shooting on a stage set, iso 320.

Thanks again,

John

Hey John...

David talked about light setups to achieve similar results some time ago.

Here are the links:

http://www.reduser.net/forum/showpost.php?p=293566&postcount=1388
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showpost.php?p=293768&postcount=1392

:thumbsup:

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

This is stunning David:

Thanks for linking Impagliazzo.

David, how much of the color palette was set design and wardrobe, and how much was done in post if at all?

If some was done in post, how much and which other colors where in the frame?

 

[wicket]

Thanks Impagliazzo, someone should set up a glossary for this thread.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

David, how much of the color palette was set design and wardrobe, and how much was done in post if at all?

If some was done in post, how much and which other colors where in the frame?

All that was done in-camera with art direction and wardrobe other than a diffusion overlay I added in Photoshop to the still frame (from my Nikon D40X, this is not a frame from the RED camera). The beam of light was from two Joker-800 HMI Source-4's off-camera, thru smoke.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Hi David, thanks for this great thread.

What kind (and output) of light would you use for this effect:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/3116636177_9641f0fe69.jpg

Shooting on a stage set, iso 320.

Thanks again,

John

Any bright punchy light through smoke would work, just depends on how parallel you want the rays to be - either you need to back up the light and thus use something really bright, or use something that produces straight rays like a Xenon, or a cluster of Source-4's with narrow lenses, if you don't mind a blend of multiple rays.