One of the most enjoyable parts of being a cinematographer is getting to work on a wide variety of projects each with its own unique demands and circumstances.   In today's breakdown episode we take a behind the scenes look at a recent job that had its own challenges and we discuss our solutions as we […]

The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #327 – The Balancing Act

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We have got too may breakdowns and not enough weeks in the year to get through them all. This week on the podcast we get a chance to see what it looks like when you put one LED in what is basically a small ladder with a bucket at the top of it and try and shoot a wide night exterior set up. Night exteriors are always tricky and they require the most amount of prep because even the smallest of adjustments after lights are in position can kill your schedule. Follow along to see how the final images turned out and hopefully you can use these techniques the next time to you have a job that calls for a similar set up. Enjoy!The Playbook Series: Volume III is LIVECourse Link:  A Cinematography System: The Playbook Approach - Volume III The 3rd installment of the B.O.D.V.O. Cinematography System is officially available.   This latest course is all about the most challenging set up for any cinematographer and that is a scene between 3 or more people looking in multiple directions. The more variables the more chances of things going sideways on the day and in pre-production.  If you aren't on top of all of the options and understand all of the choices at your fingertips you are going to leave shape on the table. This course outlines how I think about shooting these scenes, we go over all of the various options, look at the pros and cons so that you can be the most knowl;edgable person on set when these situations arise. The further out in to the future you can see the better you are going to be able to guide the crew and those around you to a final sequence that you are happy with. Happy directors, happy producers and happy crew mean more jobs in the future because you are providing value to the production.  It is win, win for everyone.   I am super excited to get this information out in to the hands of cinematographers around the world. If you want to learn more about the course check it out here: A Cinematography System: The Playbook Approach - Volume III  The Spot - Too Little, Too LateShot #1 - The WideThe ShotThe shot starts with a father and daughter playing basketball in their front yard.  The LightingThe main moon light ambient is coming from the smallest cherry picker the world has ever known.  The base is actually parked in the shot as there was no where else to put it and get it high enough to not look like a stand holding a light on it. Inside the bucket was 2 Vortexes.  One positioned to provide the backlight for the action and one point at the background as a front light to just to give anything back there a little bit of detail. On the ground the key was coming from two Vortexes pushing through a loosely hung 12x12 that was hanging off the porch of the house. We added the tungsten work light as an in shot practical and the interior room of the house was just an Aputure LED to give it a bit of interest.The ResultShot #2 - The ActionThe ShotThis shot covered off all of the action in the lead up to the dialogue back and forth between the father and daughter.The LightingSame as above.The ResultShot #3 - The In TightThe ShotClose up of the hero talent as he converses with his daughter.The LightingEverything is positioned in the same spot as the previous shots but now we have moved the frames closer to get a bit more wrap from the key light and also lowered the intesity of the backlight to make it more subtle and control some of the bleed in the background. You can see the top light in the reflection on his forehead.The ResultShot #4 - New DirectionThe ShotThe other side of the coverage between the daughter and the father.The LightingThis was a complete direction change which meant the longest re-light of the night.   For the background we used the Vortex in the bucket front lighting everything it possible can.  The talent is keyed with another Vortex pushing through a 8x8 of diffusion and for the edge light it is the previous Vortex pushing through a 4x4 frame.  You can also see a hint of the moon light top light coming from the cherry picker.The ResultShot #5 - The Interior WideThe ShotOur two talent brushing their teeth before they go to sleep.  The LightingWe shot this during the day and blacked out the windows above the mirror and the glass doors and windows frame right. Inside we used the existing practicals as the key light for the wides and adde a practical frame left to break up the wall. In the mirror you can see a bit of daylight that is leaking through the blacks blocking out the sun to the right of frame. The ResultShot #6 - The Two ShotThe ShotA tighter version of the wide shot almost straight down the line.The LightingSame as above except now that we are closer I pulled all the negative fill much closer to the talent.  This soaked up more light than the ambient in the wide.The ResultShot #7 - French OverThe ShotThis is one side of the OTS coverage for the dialogue between the two women.The LightingThere is the same lighting set up in the wide with the neg closer to the talent plus we added a Helios Tube in a diffusion sock frame right to help carry the key light a little bit further around to the shadow side of her face.The ResultShot #8 - Around the FrontThe ShotThe tight shot of the reveal of the cancer gums that our talent has just discovered.The LightingThis was the same set up as the previous shot.  It appears as though there is more level in the key but that is only because it is much flatter to the talent.  In hindsight I should have cut the key light more on camera right to add shape to her face but the size of the location and the lack of space meant it was easier said than done.The Result

The post The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #440 – Too Little, Too Late appeared first on Cinematography Podcast & Tutorials.

The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #440 – Too Little, Too Late


I had originally intended this to be a Q+A Episode but like always it devolved into a rant about finding employment in this business, how to lower your chances (or raise them) of getting fired on set, and a whole slew of other topics. I will eventually get to the Q+A stuff but it certainly didn't happen this episode. Be sure to check out the info below for how you can save $$$ on all the courses during the 10th annual B-Day Sale of the Wandering DP. Enjoy!Birthday Sale:  10 Years StrongThe podcast is officially 10 years old and to celebrate there is the Birthday Sale on. You can save 30% off all courses plus for a limited time (the next two days) I have put together a special bundle where you can save almost $600 for new students and the Playbook Series of courses. The Wandering DP Courses Save 30% with the following code at checkout: 10YEARS The Playbook Series Bundle (3 courses in total) Volume III of the Playbook Series just came out at the end of last month and so far the reviews have been awesome.  It is always nice to hear from cinematographers who are getting similar results using the information and the techniques explained in the courses so hopefully if you are looking to lift your game the sale can help you out. I appreciate all the support over the years and hopefully we can keep this going for a long time to come.
The post The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #439 – The Rambling Man #2 appeared first on Cinematography Podcast & Tutorials.

The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #439 – The Rambling Man #2


This week on the podcast we are breaking down a commercial that had quite a bit of car interior/exterior dialogue which meant we could highlight what a huge benefit it is to have a location you can move when shooting day exteriors. We basically followed the sun with the angle of the car which meant with a little bit of planning we could be backlit all day long.  Unfortunately for the final look the sun didn't play ball all day but we managed to make the most out of it. Enjoy!New Course: Mastering Exposure is LIVECourse Link:  A Cinematography System: The Playbook Approach - Volume III The 3rd installment of the B.O.D.V.O. Cinematography System is officially available.   This latest course is all about the most challenging set up for any cinematographer and that is a scene between 3 or more people looking in multiple directions. The more variables the more chances of things going sideways on the day and in pre-production.  If you aren't on top of all of the options and understand all of the choices at your fingertips you are going to leave shape on the table. This course outlines how I think about shooting these scenes, we go over all of the various options, look at the pros and cons so that you can be the most knowl;edgable person on set when these situations arise. The further out in to the future you can see the better you are going to be able to guide the crew and those around you to a final sequence that you are happy with. Happy directors, happy producers and happy crew mean more jobs in the future because you are providing value to the production.  It is win, win for everyone.   I am super excited to get this information out in to the hands of cinematographers around the world. If you want to learn more about the course check it out here: A Cinematography System: The Playbook Approach - Volume III  The Spot - The Advantages of a Movable LocationShot #1 - The Tracking ShotThe ShotThe camera follows a policeman as he splits lanes at a traffic stop looking for drivers on their phone.The LightingThis shot was all about the schedule.  the track and the size of the shot meant there was nothing to add or takeaway.  Once the sun hit the right spot we rolled.The ResultShot #2 - The RevealThe ShotOur hero talent pulls up to the window of a driver on their phone.  He is not super pumped.The LightingWe moved the car to get a background we were happy with (the main advantage of a movable location).   For lighting we had the sun as the backlight just out of the frame and then used a 12x12 bounce to return some of that sunlight outside the car frame left.  Inside the car we wrapped everything in black to try and up the contrast.The ResultShot #3 - The RealizationThe ShotA close up on the driver as she realizes she is in trouble.The LightingWe moved the car again to position the sun at the angle we wanted for the backlit look. Off to camera left we had a 6k HMI through a few frames to bump the key levels inside the car.  The weather was quite overcast or we could have done the same thing with a bounce only. Inside the car there is black everywhere the camera can't see.The ResultShot #4 - Jumping OutThe ShotThis was the wide shot of the policeman approaching the car.  We needed to see the bike, the car, and the road in the BG.The LightingThe sky in the BG looks more open than it was.  The overcast weather meant we had to use the 6k HMI again.  Always tricky because you don't want to overcook the levels with the light and it needs to fit in with the rest of the ambient level. That was the only light here because we needed to see such a large footprint.The ResultShot #5 - The ConversationThe ShotThe POV of the Policeman as he issues a citation to the driver.The LightingWe used the same set up as shot #3 except we couldn't black inside the car so there is a bit more of an ambient contrast killer happening.The ResultShot #6 - The Reverse POVThe ShotThe opposite side of the coverage for Shot #5.The LightingLucky for us on this set up that the sun managed to pop a bit which meant we could kill the 6k HMI and use the sun as a bit of a backlight and just bounce off the car for the rest. There are a few floppies frame left to help dial in the contrast levels we needed.The Result

The post The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #438 – The Advantages of a Movable Location appeared first on Cinematography Podcast & Tutorials.

The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #438 – The Advantages of a Movable Location


Cinematographer Brendan Uegama is back on the show this week for his 3rd appearance and he is walking us through his work on Them: The Scare. It has been awesome following along with Brendan over the last few years to see his work evolve and progress.  He discusses his latest thoughts on the job and shares where he is devoting his time and energy on set to get the most out of his work. Enjoy!The Playbook Approach - New Cinematography CourseCourse Link:  A Cinematography System: The Playbook Approach - Volume III 
 The 3rd installment of the B.O.D.V.O. Cinematography System is officially available.   This latest course is all about the most challenging set up for any cinematographer and that is a scene between 3 or more people looking in multiple directions. The more variables the more chances of things going sideways on the day and in pre-production.  If you aren't on top of all of the options and understand all of the choices at your fingertips you are going to leave shape on the table. This course outlines how I think about shooting these scenes, we go over all of the various options, look at the pros and cons so that you can be the most knowl;edgable person on set when these situations arise. The further out in to the future you can see the better you are going to be able to guide the crew and those around you to a final sequence that you are happy with. Happy directors, happy producers and happy crew mean more jobs in the future because you are providing value to the production.  It is win, win for everyone.   I am super excited to get this information out in to the hands of cinematographers around the world. If you want to learn more about the course check it out here: A Cinematography System: The Playbook Approach - Volume IIIFeatured Guest - Cinematographer Brendan UegamaWebsite: Brendan Uegama Instagram: @brendanuegama_dp

The post The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #437 – Cinematographer Brendan Uegama appeared first on Cinematography Podcast & Tutorials.

The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #437 – Cinematographer Brendan Uegama


This week on the show we are chatting with cinematographer Martim Vian about his latest film Lazareth. Martim shares a number of unique insights from his time on the film and highlights his process for bringing a script to life through the visual language of a project. Be sure to check out the trailer below and give Martim a follow over on Instagram to stay up on the his latest work going forward. Enjoy!Cinematography Playbook: Volume III - New Course is LIVECourse Link:  A Cinematography System: The Playbook Approach - Volume III 
 The 3rd installment of the B.O.D.V.O. Cinematography System is officially available as of today.   This latest course is all about the most challenging set up for any cinematographer and that is a scene between 3 or more people looking in multiple directions. The more variables the more chances of things going sideways on the day and in pre-production.  If you aren't on top of all of the options and understand all of the choices at your fingertips you are going to leave shape on the table. This course outlines how I think about shooting these scenes, we go over all of the various options, look at the pros and cons so that you can be the most knowl;edgable person on set when these situations arise. The further out in to the future you can see the better you are going to be able to guide the crew and those around you to a final sequence that you are happy with. Happy directors, happy producers and happy crew mean more jobs in the future because you are providing value to the production.  It is win, win for everyone.   I am super excited to get this information out in to the hands of cinematographers around the world. If you want to learn more about the course check it out here: A Cinematography System: The Playbook Approach - Volume IIIPatreon Breakdown - BarbieWe are back with a film breakdown this week over on Patreon and we are taking an extended look at Barbie shot by Rodrigo Prieto ASC. This film isn't exactly in the wheel house of projects I would normally look at but that is exactly why we should be doing it to try and expand our horizons and see what techniques they are using to achieve this unique look. If you want to check out the video clink the link below: The Wandering DP Podcast PatreonFeatured Guest - Cinematographer Martim VianWebsite: Martim Vian Instagram: @martimvian

The post The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #436 – Cinematographer Martim Vian appeared first on Cinematography Podcast & Tutorials.

The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #327 – The Balancing Act

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