Dreams

[Gary Stone]

Please try to resist the urge to relegate this to fanboy gloating, but I feel that there's some things we should remind ourselves of concerning this whole RED thing.

But, first, I would like to say something.

I WILL BE MAKING MY FIRST FEATURE FILM THIS FALL/WINTER.

I like being able to say that. I don't say it because I'm advertising. I say it because it's really only possible at this point in my life because of the RED ONE.

What I mean by that is that I get to keep total control over the project (because it really isn't that much money) and not make Hollywood dreck.

I get to make up my own kind of dreck :biggrin:

But I get to do it at unheard of quality for this amount of money. Knowing that I'll have a RED has changed the way I write. I don't write so much based on equipment limitations, and that has allowed me to actually get out a first draft I'm happy with. A first draft I BELIEVE I can make into a good film. And then I can do it all over again because I won't be broke from renting it. I'LL OWN IT!! Every time I come back to that, it's like Christmas all over again.

I read these forums religiously and I see a lot of guys that work as cinematographers and AC's and they seem very disappointed that RED ONE doesn't serve every need they get out camera systems that cost 10 times as much. They complain that it won't fit into every established workflow out there. It just sounds a little jaded here sometimes. But, at the same time, they have driven a lot of RED's develpment so I have complete respect for their expertise and knowledge.

But more and more I think some of those guys should step back, know that this isn't meant to replace what an entrenched Hollywood has developed over it's 100 years. This is new. This is to put a camera of insane quality in the hands of aspiring film makers and maybe just revolutionize a bloated industry that turns out shitty 200 million dollar film after shitty 200 million dollar film.

Thank you Jim and the whole RED team. You're not selling me a camera...You've made my dreams affordable and that much more REAL. I feel that (within reason) that my only limit is my own imagination and drive.

I hope I can join the list of people who do your little "project" proud.

 

[ChristopherKenworthy]

Yep. Although I understand why some people say, "It's just another tool," Red is so much more to me. Getting the company going, and getting a proper feature film budget all came about because investors were interested in the revolution that Red affords. It's not just a tool to me, it's made a dream come true. My first feature is now shooting, and I couldn't be much happier. (I could be getting more sleep...)

 

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

Don't forget that if you want to make a good feature, in most cases, it's your crew and what will be in FRONT of your camera that will cost the most money... Not the camera itself.

Of course RED is dream camera at this price/performance ratio. But you still have to know how to light, you still have to have good actor's, make-up (certainly in 4k), props,...

Unless everybody is working free for you or you are making a feature about 2 people in a room (which is both possible).

I don't want to break your dreams. RED gives many people a chance to get an image quality and some image choices (because of the 35mm depth of field) that weren't possible before for them, because of price. That's great, and the complete RED team should be very proud.
But the camera won't make you Spielberg overnight...
One of the things that you can hope, is that the canvas of the camera - because it's so much higher, with it's 4K resolution, 35mm DOF, RAW workflow - will require you to be a better cameraman, with a better understanding of who things in such a frame works.

Good luck with the feature, keep us updated.

 

[ChristopherKenworthy]

Thanks. And yes, what's in front of the camera is the most important (we've worked very hard on that). For us, Red doesn't make movies cost any less. We spend a little less in the camera department, but the rest of the budget remains astronomical, as always. The budget is about the same as it would be for film, in the end. But Red gives us a new way of making movies, and we love working this way. There's something about Red that excited me, the actors, the crew, and the financiers. And it's a sheer pleasure to use. And no, the camera won't make you Spielberg - but I have to say we're getting gorgeous results from our Ultra Primes.

 

[Gunleik Groven]

We all know that Red's "just a tool"...

But what a sweet little tool!

It's almost like when I got my DW drums after using the old Slingerland for years. The Slingerlands are not bad, actually they're pretty darmned cool, but the DWs where just fatastic!

http://www.dwdrums.com/


Gunleik

 

[Cüneyt Kaya]

its a different thing to say she is my girlfriend or i paid 1000 Dollars per day

 

[Gary Stone]

Yes...I get that it's not the ONLY expense. I never said it would be the first thing I've ever shot...just the first feature I've ever shot.

...and that's funny you bring drums up gunleik...I play drums for a living. We have touring artists in our club all the time...and I'll just say that the drum set does NOT make the drummer. :biggrin:

same thing applies to the RED...