On the show this week is another breakdown but don't despair. It isn't just me blabbering on for 40 minutes about how you can never have too much neg fill.
This time I have enlisted the services of the 2022 Andre Sofhob Award Winning cinematographer Tim Pfautsch. We walk through a job he shot and go over how he made it happen from start to finish. I really enjoyed hearing how it all came together and the kind of work that is involved in getting a project like this off the ground.
If you like this episode and want to see more like it in the future with other guest DPs please reach out and let me know.
Enjoy the behind the scenes look!
A Cinematography System: The Playbook Approach
You like the breakdown episodes and you want to be a better DP? Would you like to hear how I think when it comes to cinematography and steal the methodology I built up over the years?
OK. Check out the course I created at the link below:
A Cinematography System: The Playbook Approach
My mindset around cinematography has morphed and changed over time as I am always seeking the most efficient workflow to get the best results I can. In the course I lay out exactly how I breakdown a scene to make sure I am maximizing the tools I have available to me.
This is the closest thing I have created to a cheat code for up and coming DPs to bypass the years of trial and error I had to put in.
Patreon Video: City on the Hill
Over on Patreon this week I have been looking for a scene like the one I found for quite some time to break down on the show and I randomly came across it in a series called City on the Hill.
It is amazing the level of content in the narrative space at the moment and I really enjoyed taking a look at this one.
You can find this week's Patreon content by clicking the link below:
If you are a fan of the podcast and want more video content the patreon group is the place to be. Each and every week I release an exclusive podcast, video, or live stream just for the Patreon members.
Patreon members also get access to the Private Facebook community for the show. The podcast couldn't exist without the Patreon support and I do my best to take care of the supporters.
Tim shot this ad on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K paired with a Nikon Speedbooster XL. He used the Tokina RMC 17mm 3.5 exclusively for every single shot, paired with the Speedbooster the entire image circle of the lens was used for a 4:3 delivery.
The lighting package consisted of a mix of personal lights of the gaffer (some Aputure units and tubelights) as well as a slim lighting and grip package from a local rental.
Tungsten units carried most of the weight in conjunction with a hazer that ran all day.
The Spot - Shot by Shot
Shot 1 - The Dolly In
The Shot
A group of young people sits in a half circle as the camera dollies in.
The Lighting
The Crew rigged 4 cheap LED tubes to the ceiling and wrapped them in black wrap to control the spill. The background is lit by 3 tungsten practicals that were dimmed down. They bounced two Arri 1K tungsten lamps (with plus green gels attached) into the poly-bounces to backlight the plastic foil.
The Lighting Diagram
Behind the Scenes
Set Up #2 - The Stage
The Lighting
The guy is keyed by two 750W Source4s, coming from either side. There are 4 1K Pars backlighting the scenery. The red glow comes from gelled Arri 1Ks bounced into the backwall and polybounces.
The Lighting Diagram
Set Up #3 - The Rainbow
The Lighting
For this shot, Tim shot a Source4 into a small prism at a 30° angle - so the tungsten light is split into its spectral components and creates this rainbow light effect.
The background is lit by tungsten lights gelled green.
The Lighting Diagram
Set Up #4 - The Blanket Man
The Lighting
This one was really simple. The visual interest comes from the movement under the blanket which is accentuated by an Aputure 300D (with some green gel added to it) through a big softbox that was over the subject, back and forth.
The Lighting Diagram
Set Up #5 - Shadow Boxing
The Lighting
This one is fairly simply lit. The green-ish background from the opening shot was recycled, but this time the tungsten practicals were turned off. She is keyed by a single Source4 750W coming from the balustrade.
The Lighting Diagram
Shot #6 - Bruises
The Lighting
Here the talent is lit by a single source, an Arri 1K through a ½ WD frame of diffusion.
Visual interest is added by smearing the edges of the frame with a thick layer of Vaseline.
The Lighting Diagram
