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Canadian Society of Cinematographers
$4 April 2011 www.csc.ca
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Jack Cardiff asc • CSC 2011 Award Nominees • Don Carmody
A publication of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers
The Canadian Society of Cinematographers
(CSC) was founded in 1957 by a group of
Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa cameramen.
Since then over 800 cinematographers
and persons in associated occupations
have joined the organization.
The purpose of the CSC is to promote
the art and craft of cinematography
in Canada. And to provide tangible
recognition of the common bonds that
link film and video professionals, from
the aspiring student and camera
assistant to the news veteran and senior
director of photography.
We facilitate the dissemination and
exchange of technical information and
endeavor to advance the knowledge
and status of our members within the
industry. As an organization dedicated
to furthering technical assistance, we
maintain contact with non-partisan groups
in our industry but have no political or
union affiliation.
CORPORATE SPONSORS
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Creative Post Inc.
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Deluxe Toronto
FUJIFILM Canada Inc.
Image Media Farms Inc
Kingsway Motion Picture Ltd.
Kino Flo
Kodak Canada Inc.
Lee Filters
Mole-Richardson
Osram Sylvania Ltd./Ltée
PS Production Services
Panasonic Canada
Panavision Canada
Rosco Canada
Sim Video
Sony of Canada Ltd.
Technicolor
Videoscope Ltd.
Vistek Camera Ltd.
William F. White International Inc.
ZGC Inc.
ZTV
FEATURES – volume 3, No. 1 April 2011
Black Narcissus
11
A Tribute to the Brilliance of Jack Cardiff asc By Wyndham Wise
12
Chris Oben Shoots Digital 3D on Splinter Unit for Disney’s
TRON: Legacy 3D By Chris M. Oben, CSC Associate Member
Resident Evil: Afterlife
16
Canada’s Man in Hollywood: The Don Carmody Interview
on the Occasion of His 100th Film By Wyndham Wise
Columns & Departments
2 From the President
3Letters to the President
5 What’s New: Image Media Farm Re-Brands
6 In the News
24 CSC Award Nominees
25-27 CSC Members / Camera Classified
28 Productions Notes / Calendar
Cover: Beau Garrett from TRON: Legacy 3D. Image courtesy of Disney Enterprises Inc.
Canadian Cinematographer
April 2011 Vol. 3, No. 1
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Joan Hutton csc
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
George Willis csc, sasc
EDITOR EMERITUS
Donald Angus
From
The
PRESIDENT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Susan Saranchuk
[email protected]
EDITOR
Wyndham Wise mfa
[email protected]
ART DIRECTION
Berkeley Stat House
PROOFREADER
Karen Longland
Joan Hutton csc
T
his is an era of vast and rapid change for film and television. What we do now
to channel this change will have a profound effect on the stability and creative
future of our industry. So when I received an invitation to attend the 2011
International Cinematography Summit Conference (ICSC) from Michael Goi asc,
president of the American Society of Cinematographers, I readily accepted.
STUDENT INTERNS
Savia D’cunha
Krystyna Hunt
WEBSITE CONSULTANT
Nikos Evdemon csc
www.csc.ca
ADVERTISING SALES
Guido Kondruss
[email protected]
Taking place this May in Los Angeles, ICSC 2011 is a think tank gathering created
by the ASC to share knowledge between cinematographers worldwide of emerging
technologies and to discuss the future of the craft in light of developments such as virtual
production and 3D. This is not a festival or tradeshow, nor will issues regarding labour
be put on the agenda. Goi says the conference will uniquely “focus on understanding
how the evolution of our tools is influencing our ability to do our job, and also how we
may better influence the critical elements that affect the craft of cinematography.”
CSC OFFICE / MEMBERSHIP
131–3007 Kingston Road
Toronto, Canada M1M 1P1
Tel: 416-266-0591; Fax: 416-266-3996
Email: [email protected]
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283 Danforth Avenue
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Email: [email protected]
Canadian Cinematographer makes every effort to ensure
the accuracy of the information it publishes; however,
it cannot be held responsible for any consequences
arising from errors or omissions. The contents of this
publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part
without the express written consent of the publisher.
The opinions expressed within the magazine are those
of the authors and not necessarily of the publisher.
Upon publication, Canadian Cinematographer acquires
Canadian Serial Rights; copyright reverts to the writer
after publication.
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Commercial Print and is published 10 times a year.
One-year subscriptions are available in Canada for
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including HST. In U.S. rates are $45.00 and $90.00
for institutions in U.S. funds. International subscriptions
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Subscribe online at www.csc.ca.
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2 • Canadian Cinematographer - April 2011
The agenda of the four-day conference is still being formulated; however, through
consultations with some of the attending countries, here are some of the possible topics:
• The role of the cinematographer in virtual production and animation
• The archiving, preservation of film and digital elements
• 3D and how it has affected our craft
• The evolution and future of digital capture
• The future of film as an origination and archival medium
• What our part should be in educating the next generation of cinematographers
• Ways cinematography societies can develop a more active exchange of information
and to combine our efforts on areas of importance
I would like to hear from you, the CSC membership, or anyone who reads this column
on what should be addressed at ICSC 2011. I would like to know what my fellow
cinematographers think is important for our future. I will then take the larger consensus
groupings and put the ideas before the conference should they not already be on the
agenda. This conference underscores that we are very much part of a global industry
and need to be on the same page concerning the essentials of our craft and the issues that
affect the preservation of cinematography. So please send your thoughts to [email protected].
The CSC congratulates all the winners at this year’s Genie Awards. Especially André
Turpin, who received the Best Achievement in Cinematography Genie for Incendies, and
to the four other nominees, two of whom were CSC members, Bernard Couture csc for
10½ and Ronald Plante csc for Piché, entre ciel et terre.
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Dear Joan,
The “First Dates with the Arri Alexa” article in Canadian
Cinematographer February issue had excellent insights and
information from three very experienced DOPs. As a cinematographer at the mid-level of her craft, I really love information
like this, as it helps me become better at what I aspire to in this
industry. I would love to read an article specifically on “curves”
and how to better control them in digital vs. film – what to
look out for, what you should know and how to do it. That sort
of information would be very helpful. This was touched on a
bit in the February article and also at the Oceans screening last
month at Deluxe, Toronto. French DOP Phillippe Ros shared
amazing information on how he controlled the gamma curves in
the Sony 950s, which were the underwater cameras he used, to
match the 35-mm film stocks that were use for the above-water
scenes. I was a sponge, soaking up every word!
Thanks again for the article, and I am looking forward to more
technical information in the magazine.
Sarah Moffat,
Cinematographer
Dear Joan,
Just wanted you to know I enjoyed Lance’s article on the Arri
Alexa. I have just finished a very ambitious series with it and
it blew me away. I’ve worked with every major digital system
out there and this one knocked my socks off. It is truly a “game
changer” and nothing else comes close.
Anyway. Keep up the good work. I’m sure it can be rather thankless at times.
All the best,
Robert McLachlan csc, asc
Dear Joan,
Thank you for the excellent editorial in February’s edition. It
was insightful and pertinent.
Chris M. Oben, Associate Member
Canadian Cinematographer - April 2011 •
3
By Wyndham Wise
W
e keep growing because we provide first-rate
customer services and people enjoy working with
us and we have an amazing team,” Image Media
Farm founder and president Roger Williams told Canadian
Cinematographer over the phone from Vancouver. “Image Pacific
Communications was the original company, then we created
Image Central in Toronto about 5 or 6 years ago. In 2009 we
branded the company nationally because we were operating as
two distinct companies. Now we’re in the middle of redesigning
our website. I wanted to bring the company together nationally,
and it’s working out really well.
“In the late 1970s and early 1980s,” Williams said, “I worked as
a recording engineer in Edmonton. I went to do a bit of work
with ITV in the days it was producing SCTV. I helped fill in once
in a while then I went back to school and learned more about
television and came out as camera guy. I started with sports and
news and moved on to DOP on a great many documentaries
in the 1990s with Discovery, CTV, TSN and a whole host of
international networks, always freelance.
At 2010 TIFF, Image Media Farm was involved in numerous
behind-the-scenes endeavors. In the capacity for which it has
long been acknowledged as an industry leader, IMF provided
services for the promotion of key feature films, producing press
junkets for all Alliance releases premiering at the festival.
IMF’s contribution to supporting international publicity
efforts at TIFF, included junket coverage for The Black Swan, The
King’s Speech, Waiting for Superman, FUBAR II and Route 132,
all of which used camera packages supplied through IMF. “On
our busiest day we had a total of 25 cameras rolling at once in
various locations and hotel rooms around Toronto,” Williams
said. While on location in Ontario, Williams shot 3D coverage of Niagara Falls as part of an impressive, cross-Canada
documentary/promotional production for the Canadian
Tourism Commission. “We rode The Maid of the Mist and put
the camera on a 50-foot Techno-crane,” he said. In addition to
its production services, IMF is expanding its reach into independent production with Chinatown, Canada, a recently completed
four-part documentary series airing on Omni Television, and The
Lodge, a 10-part reality series for World Fishing Network.
“As a freelancer I started my own company, which was Image
Pacific Communications in Vancouver in 1990. I started with
one camera, and now we have about 60. When you buy one
camera, you then need another, and then a client wants something different. Technology changes. I started with broadcast
cameras. I have another company in Vancouver called Inspired
Cinema Camera Rentals for film rentals. Image Media Farm is
strictly for broadcast.”
It was for many good reasons that the Vancouver Organizing
Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter
Games selected IMF as the official chronicler of the 2010 Winter
Olympic Torch Relay. Over the course of the 106-day, 45,000kilometre journey of the Olympic flame, IMF’s travelling
production team shot over 60,000 digital still photographs and
over 800 hours of HD video to fully document the longest
Torch Relay ever staged within a single country, in the process
recording the participation of over 12,000 Canadian Torchbearers. The journey ended on February 12 in Vancouver, when
the Olympic Cauldron was ignited to signal the start of the
Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Editors in IMF’s mobile post-production studio, a specially
customized motorhome equipped with digital photography
processing station and two complete video editing suites, worked
continuously, culling daily digital photo highlights and postproducing daily regional relay video highlight packages, six
weekly video torch featurettes and daily B-roll footage. To
insure that the relay was chronicled every step of the way Williams
installed a robotic HD video camera to shoot continuously.
Image courtesy of Image Media Farm.
“
WHAT’S NEW
Image Media Farm Re-Brands
Image Media Farm founder and president, Roger Williams, on location at
Niagara Falls, for a 3D shoot for the Canadian Tourism Commission.
5
In The News
John Walker csc behind the drum kit in a promotional shot for his awardwinning documentary, A Drummer’s Dream.
A Drummer’s Dream Wins FIPA d’Or
A
t the 24th International Festival of Audiovisual Programs
(FIPA), in Biarritz, France A Drummer’s Dream from
director John Walker csc won the FIPA d’Or Grand
Prize in the performing arts category. FIPA, little known in this
country, is a big deal in Europe and has been compared to the
American Emmy Awards. The feature-length documentary,
produced by the NFB in co-production with John Walker
Productions, is a rare and unique assembly of some of the greatest
drummers in the world.
Set at an idyllic music camp for emerging musicians in rural
Ontario, A Drummer’s Dream focuses on a rare assembly of some
of the most versatile drummers in the world, including Nasyr
Abdul Al-Khabyyr, Dennis Chambers, Kenwood Dennard, Horacio
“El-Negro” Hernandez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Mike Mangini and
Raul Rekow, who have backed up the likes of Miles Davis, Dizzy
Gillespie and Carlos Santana. It showcases their explosive talent –
running the gamut from Latin and rock to jazz and soul – as well
as their passion, humour and irresistible personalities.
The Kennedys Set for Broadcast
in the U.S.
Muse Entertainment has found a new U.S. broadcast home
for The Kennedys – ReelzChannel. The replacement home on
the indie cable channel follows Muse and co-producer Asylum
Entertainment seeing their eight-part series axed by A&E
Television Network’s History channel in the U.S. Muse CEO
Michael Prupas, who also executive produced The Kennedys, welcomed the U.S. sale. The Montreal-based producer
also defended the miniseries against earlier accusations from
the Kennedy family of misrepresenting the famous American
political dynasty with its miniseries. “We accurately and authentically recreated each of the events that occurred. Anyone who
watches the show will agree that the Kennedy family emerges
from our treatment as a legendary American family, who made
an enormous contribution to the world and to their country, but
were beset by epic tragedies,” he said in a prepared statement.
The controversial miniseries The Kennedys, DOP David Moxness csc, is now
set for broadcast in the U.S. in April.
ReelzChannel deal, which will air the controversial miniseries
from April 3, brought relief to Shaw Media. It remains committed to airing The Kennedys in Canada. The ReelzChannel deal
is conditional on the U.S. broadcaster getting a world premiere
for The Kennedys. Shaw Media remains undecided whether to air
The Kennedys on its Global Television conventional network or
one of its specialty channels. Source: Playback.
Bollywood Oscars
In recognition of the size and importance of the East Asian
Diaspora in Canada, the OMNI network will be the official
Canadian broadcast partner for the International Indian Film
Academy, covering the glitzy three-day awards celebration from
June 23 to 25, culminating with a Bollywood awards show
from Rogers Centre, Toronto.
Steve Cosens csc Lenses Edwin Boyd
Producer Allison Black and director Nathan Morlando of Euclid
431 Pictures shot Edwin Boyd with Scott Speedman (Underworld,
Barney’s Version) in the title role, DOP Steve Cosens csc. Set in
1949, the film chronicles the notorious escapades of Canadian
bank robber and aspiring silver screen star Edwin Alonzo Boyd.
The production also features Brian Cox (X-Men 2, The Bourne
Identity). Shot in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario on a five-week shoot,
Morlando collaborated with Boyd himself on the film’s script.
Boyd passed away in 2002 at the age of 88 and will not be able to
finally see his name in lights. He was a Second World War veteran
“outside the box” has kept me with
Clairmont since 1989 ; when I first
Always thinking
arrived in Vancouver to operate on the series “Booker.” I immediately
noticed a couple of things. Denny and his
staff are as passionate
about
cinematography as I am
and they treat all people equally.
The camera trainee or the indie filmmaker
gets the same care and attention to
detail as the seasoned DP. I have always
shared this philosophy. This is
a
collaborative business and
everyone does his or her part. If ever I
am looking for a
creative
solution to a problem, I can
always count on the Clairmont staff to
research, acquire or even manufacture
the
solution. I get the feeling that it’s
not all about profit margin but
about a sense of
pride in supplying the
newest, best and most well maintained equipment. Achieving and assisting
creative vision comes first and foremost. This is what I mean about
thinking “outside the box”
. There are a lot of rental houses out there,
but there is only one Clairmont Camera.
Attila Szalay HSC, CSC
www.clairmont.com
In The News
and a family man who rose to 1950s media fame as a gentleman
bandit who undertook dramatic bank hold-ups and two prison
breaks from the Don Jail in Toronto.
Cullen, who was honoured for his voice work on the animated
television series Jimmy Two-Shoes. Stage star Fiona Reid received
the Award of Excellence.
William F. White
Mentorship Program
2010 Canadian Box Office Gross
DHX Media’s Corinne Herman is the inaugural recipient of the
William F. White Production Manager Mentorship program
with Women in Film & Television – Toronto. This competitive
program is designed to provide one emerging Canadian female
production manager with hands-on training and mentorship. For
10 days, Herman will join William F. White as an intern to learn
about production equipment for digital projects, television and
film equipment planning, budget planning and resource management. The intensive training will take place at the William F.
White Centre, the company’s new production support complex
in Toronto. “This mentorship provides a one-of-a-kind hands-on
learning experience in all aspects of production planning,” adds
Lowell Schrieder, director of marketing and communications for
William F. White.
ACTRA Toronto Awards
Late actors Maury Chaykin and Tracy Wright were among
the winners at the ACTRA Awards in Toronto. The Toronto
chapter of the Canadian performers union honoured Chaykin
with the best actor award for his role on the Winnipeg
comedy series Less Than Kind. The best actress award went to
both Wright and Molly Parker for Bruce McDonald’s rock ‘n’
roll film, Trigger. Wright died last June in Toronto of cancer at age
50 and Chaykin passed away last July at age 61. Other winners
at the ninth annual ACTRA Awards included comedian Sean
The Canadian film industry’s report card for 2010 saw homegrown movies gross 3.3 per cent to the total box office nationwide,
up modestly from a 2.9 per cent share in 2009. This is a national
percentage, and doesn’t take into account considerable difference
between the Quebec box office and the rest of Canada. EnglishCanada’s box office still sits at less than two per cent. The Quebec
box office was down in 2010, with no film crossing the $4
million barrier. In 2009, De père en flic made more that $11 million.
The year-end results from the Motion Picture Theatre
Associations of Canada show $1.03 billion spent last year in
Canadian cinemas, with Canadian films accounting for $33.5
million of total ticket receipts. The biggest earner was the
Canada/German co-production Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D,
which grossed $7.02 million at the nationwide box office on
its way to over $300 million in international box office, ahead
of DVD sales. It is now official the highest-grossing Canadian
film of all time, supplanting the 31-year-old record held by Porky’s.
Other box office jewels for Canadian film last year include Piché,
entre ciel et terre with $3.6 million in ticket sales, Barney’s Version
with $2.8 (so far) and Incendies with $4.2 million in box office in
2010 (so far), according to data prepared by Zoom Services for
MPTAC published by the Playback online. Incendies and Barney’s
Version are still screening in Canadian theatres in 2011, enjoying
an Oscar bump after their nominations for best foreign-language
category and best makeup, respectively.
Wentworth Miller in Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D. The film is 2010’s Golden Reel Award winner with a domestic gross of over $7 million and a worldwide
gross of $300 million.
The F3 is
big news
LEASE ME
The even bigger news is where
you can now order it.
Vistek launches the Production Video Solutions Group (PVSG). For you,
as a film or digital cinematography professional, PVSG represents a one-stop
Sony shop. With the addition of the experienced Sales & Service staff of the
now-defunct Precision Camera, PVSG gives you full access to Sony
Broadcast and Professional products. Plus, Sony Authorized Broadcast
Service, with expert repairs to all Sony pro video equipment.
With the new PVSG, you also gain access to the whole world of video
products – audio, lighting, post production and editing solutions, camera accessories,
tripods, and carrying cases. Virtually all the video gear you need, with the option to buy or rent.
Order your F3 today. Place your order for the Sony PMWF3K 35mm XDCAM camcorder. The F3, with
its super 35mm CMOS sensor, delivers shallow depth of field, high sensitivity and brings a true ‘film look’
to independent movies, commercials, music videos, TV shows, and serves as an ideal B-camera to high-end
feature film productions.
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A Tribute to the Brilliance of
Jack Cardiff asc
By Wyndham Wise
T
IFF presented the Toronto premiere of Craig
McCall’s documentary Cameraman: The Life &Work
of Jack Cardiff in February at the Bell Lightbox. Told
largely in Cardiff ’s own words, the film features testimony from
over 20 noted actors, directors and technicians, including Martin
Scorsese, Charlton Heston and Lauren Bacall. An accompanying
Lightbox program of Cardiff-lensed films opened with Michael
Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s Black Narcissus (1947), preceded
by a special presentation by award-winning cinematographers
Paul Sarossy csc, bsc (The Sweet Hereafter, Chloe) and John
Bailey asc (Groundhog Day, Country Strong), who discussed
Cardiff ’s ongoing influence on their profession. Sarossy told the
audience that seeing Black Narcissus had a huge impact on his
choice of career. It’s one of cinema’s most beautiful films – a visual
and emotional stunner.
(1985). He received two more Oscar nominations, for War and
Peace (1956) and Fanny (1961). In the late 1950s, he turned his
attention to directing, the result of which earned him another
Oscar nomination for Sons and Lovers (1960). His credits include
The Long Ships (1964) and Young Cassidy (1965). In 2001, he was
given an Honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement.
Jack Cardiff asc (1914–2009) entered British films at four as a
child actor and continued as a camera assistant at 13. He was
the clapper boy on one of Alfred Hitchcock’s early British sound
films, The Skin Game (1931). By 1936 he was a competent
camera operator and worked in that capacity on such distinguished productions as The Man Who Could Work Miracles,
As You Like It, The Ghost Goes West (all 1936), Knight without
Armor and Britain’s first three-colour Technicolor film, Wings of
the Morning (both 1937; he was the first Technicolor cameraman in the U.K.). As a colour expert, Cardiff photographed may
travelogue shorts and was a second-unit cameraman on The Four
Feathers (1939).
With the Crown Film Unit of the Ministry of Information
during the Second World War, he photographed many
documentaries, including the excellent Western Approaches (1944;
he was operator on the series). Following the war, he became
one of England’s most accomplished DOPs, and provided the
dazzling camerawork for three legendary productions by Michael
Powell and Emeric Pressburger. His first feature for them was
A Matter of Life and Death (1946), also known as Stairway to
Heaven, followed by the very popular Black Narcissus starring
Deborah Kerr (1947; he received an Academy Award for best
colour cinematography), set in the Himalayas but entirely shot
at the Pinewood Studios, and The Red Shoes (1948), the hugely
influential ballet film. He became famous for his expressionistic
use of colour and the use of the camera in a painterly fashion. He
was an accomplished artist in his own right.
He moved to Los Angeles and shot Hollywood classics such
as Alfred Hitichcock’s Under Capricorn (1949), John Huston’s
African Queen (1951), The Barefoot Contessa (1954), The Vikings
(1958), Death on the Nile (1978) and Rambo: First Blood Part II
Oscar-winner Jack Cardiff asc was the first DOP to use the original threecolour Technicolor camera in Europe, on Wings of the Morning in 1937.
11
Chris Oben Shoots Digital 3D on Splinter Unit for Disney’s
TRON
L
e
g
ac
y 3D
T
he mid-1980s TRON era was a
seminal period for many teens,
including myself. As kids growing up in the 1980s we all went through
‘the TRON phase.’ Not since Star Wars could
we attach ourselves to the entire experience
after seeing the movie. We spent hours talking about the movie, wishing we had the
action figures and playing the video game;
that neon, glowing-blue machine consumed
countless quarters and hours. In my town
it was at the Rose Garden Chinese restaurant. I’m not sure I had ever gone in before
the TRON game showed up, and I’m certain
I haven’t been back since. The movie and the
game had an allure that spoke to the teen
psyche in those days, the good users vs. the
evil Master Control Program. I remember us
banding together and taking turns trying to
beat the game… to no avail.
By Chris M. Oben, CSC Associate Member
t o
t h e
g r i d …
p r o g r a m . ”
Chris Oben, CSC Associate Member on the set of TRON: Legacy 3D.
March 2009
I get a call that I had been hoping for. It was Jonas Steadman,
IATSE 600, first assistant camera, ‘A’ camera focus puller and
lead 3D technician for Disney’s TRON: Legacy 3D. With the
blessing of DOP Claudio Miranda asc (The Curious Case of
Benjamin Button), Steadman had just invited me to join the
main unit camera department as they prepped the biggest-budget
digital-3D film ever made in Canada.
Unlike Avatar, which used 2/3-inch CCD digital cameras, a
decision had been made to use full 35-mm sensor cameras
for TRON: Legacy. Six freshly available Sony F35s had been
delivered to the studios at Canadian Motion Picture Park in
Vancouver nearly a month ahead of shooting. Three Pace-Cameron
3D rigs had also been provided. There are two ‘mini-rigs’ and a
‘maxi-rig’ all designed to accommodate the F35s. Lenses were T1.3
Arri Master Primes.
On the sound stage Miranda is holding court in the kingdom of
technology. I absorb my surroundings like a sponge taking note
of the types and placement of lighting fixtures for the wardrobe
tests that are underway. Miranda is using a KinoFlo blanket light
directly above the camera and an eight-foot two-bank KinoFlo
fixture on the floor. Interestingly, he has rounded black corners
made of show card on the 10-foot diffusion frame. I work out that
these corners are designed to shape the specular highlights and reflections of light sources to look like practicals not ‘film-lights.’
I note that Miranda had chosen to balance the F35 at 3200K,
but light with 5600K balanced sources effectively letting the blue
spectrum dominate the signal that we see on the 3D monitors.
The Pace truck is up and running. This truck is an entire digital
imaging, data capture, data management, post-production, 2K
RealD screening facility all in a 40-foot semi-trailer. Wherever
the camera goes, this truck must be within 250 metres and
connected via fibre optic cables. The captain of this 3D ship is
Robert ‘Bruno’ Brunelle, lead digital systems engineer.
I meet Pace 3D technician Manning Tillman. Manning is
specifically responsible for the Convergence-I/O carts that each
3D rig is connected to. This is where the 3D tech and/or first AC
checks the accuracy of focus, lens alignment, and convergence
and sets the interocular distance. It is at the I/O cart that both of
the F35s Dual Link HD-SDI signals are converted into a fibre
optic signal and sent back to the Pace truck to be reconverted
back to HD-SDI and recorded on one of 4 Dual 10TB Codex
digital recorders.
I am introduced to Visual FX supervisor and Academy Awardwinner Eric Barba. Eric and I will collaborate on a number of
VFX specific shots throughout the film. I realize that ultimately
this film will be in Eric’s hands as the VFX guru.
April 2009
On day one of principal photography, the crew is in 2D
mode. The gear has been converted and re-prepped for the 14
day, 2D portion of the work that starts the 64-day principal
photography schedule. On the call sheet I am listed as
digital - imaging technician. Oddly, one of my first tasks is
pulling focus for main unit A camera operator, John Clothier,
on a handheld shot of a motorcycle stunt from the cab of
a semi-trailer. This and other rigged 2D setups are shot on 35mm film with an Arri 435. The 2D F35s also come out to play
for coverage of the chase scene shot in urban Vancouver. As a
DIT I help run cables and calibrate Miranda’s Sony reference
monitors. Looking back, day one was very diverse in terms of my
responsibilities but I realize now that I had truly just scratched
the surface of the wide range of duties that I would perform over
the course of filming TRON: Legacy.
I meet with unit publicist Lee Anne Muldoon, Disney producer
Justin Springer, EPK producer Steve Stone and Blu-ray content
producer David Melvin to discuss EPK and the Blu-ray extra
content. They ask me to DOP both. For me, this is a dream
coming true. I’ll actually get the chance to shoot something
related to the film.
13
All images courtesy of Disney Enterprises Inc.
“ W e lc o m e
Main unit. Day 12. A note in the advance schedule for day 14
reads: Welcome to TRON World. Buckle Up. In 3D, things
change dramatically from a DIT/assistant point of view. The
chance for technical error increases exponentially. Bruno has his
work cut out for him engineering the Pace truck, keeping the
machine well oiled. There are many potential snags battled in
3D, including intermittent genlock sync and probably the
biggest concern, the fibre optic cable. We all keep alcohol tech
swabs in our pockets to deal with the regular need to clean
fibre optic contacts connecting the convergence/IO carts.
Everyone knows Jeff Bridges is laid back right? After all, he is
‘The Dude.’ But what is he going to be like to work with? One
day late in April, we are scheduled to photograph tests of Bridges
in his black self-lit robe. In anticipation of Bridges imminent
arrival, first AC Robin Lindala and I have lined up an F35, and
I have pre-lit the set with an eight-foot KinoFlo on the floor and
two 4x4-foot KinoFlo sidelights. The south stage door opens and
in comes Bridges and an entourage of crew members. He strides
and lighting style. Once the 10K fill light was set up, we keyed
the actor with a long four-bank KinoFlo and finally highlighted
the neon on the game itself with a Dedo kit. There was a long
discussion about whether the blue joystick controller of original
TRON game was originally self-lit. In the end we shoot it both
ways using a four-inch Kino Micro-Flo taped directly to the
controller to create the blue glow.
For the Tron: Legacy Blu-ray, my micro crew and I shoot with a
Red camera alongside the main unit. First AC Robin Lindala has
prepped the Steadicam and the Red package from Clairmont
Camera. Our director, David Melvin wants to enhance and
differentiate the look of our work for the Blu-ray from the main
unit, so we choose a Clairmont 32-mm anamorphic lens for the
Red. We want all the characteristic lens flares that an anamorphic
lens delivers. The EPK crew has also asked us to film an interview
with the production designer Darren Gilford. I suggest using the
Steadicam for a walk and talk through the safe-house set using
an HVX200.
“The realization of director Joseph Kosinski’s vision was largely made possible through DOP Claudio Miranda’s carefu
across the room looking very Darth Vader-esque and ominous.
He approaches me directly and says, “Hi… I’m Jeff.” I think to
myself, “Yes, this is the Dude.” Introductions out of the way, one
of the suit technicians turns on Bridges’s suit and we see it glow
for the first time on camera.
Once Bridges’s test is complete, lamp op, Randy Jablonka and
I tighten up the lighting for a closer shot. We need to simulate
a low level yet shapely glow for a makeup test with Beau
Garrett. We start by pulling in the two 4x4-foot sidelights and
bringing the eight-foot KinoFlo on the floor closer to Garrett’s
toes. Garrett plays the lead siren in the scene where Sam’s suit
is put on in preparation for the disc game. Head of makeup, Rosalina De Silva, is on hand to see the results of her teams’
efforts with Garrett. Rosalina and I look at the images together
and I see that she is happy with Garrett’s look.
May 2009
Referred to as B unit on the main unit call sheet, we are
scheduled to shoot a 1980’s recreation of Flynn’s Arcade for a
flashback sequence of a teenager and 40 arcade goers playing the original TRON videogame. For this 2D shot, we are
using a Sony HDW-F950 camera tethered via fibre to a Codex
recorder in the Pace truck 250 metres away. Second AC Herb
Crowder and first AC Rusty Deluce are busy running the fibre
optic cable from our small set two stages away from main unit
back to the Pace trailer. This way Miranda and director Joseph
Kosinski can see our work live and give feedback.
The crew gather at call time and I meet with A.D., David Klohn
and gaffer Shawn McLaughlin to discuss the first shot. Relative
to main unit, the crew is very small and I quickly realize that
I will be stepping into a bigger role than the camera operator
position indicated on the call sheet. From the very first shot it is
clear that I will be responsible for deciding both camera position
July 2009
The call sheet reads: Sc. 30 - Int. Disc Game - Player Basket - Sam
and other combatants rise up on rotating platform (crane down from
30 feet). Key grip Steve Sherlock and gaffer Jeff Pentecost were
the stars of the show as they made setting up and lighting the
blue screen look easy while the crane tech, head tech, dolly grip,
focus puller and I worked out the move to the best of our ability to match the Maya rendered pre-viz. This is easily the most
complex choreographed camera move we achieve on second unit.
The shot takes us nearly 15 takes, but ends up in the very first
3D trailer in theatres.
Joseph Kosinski and Claudio Miranda are between setups
on the main unit and have taken a moment to review a shot
that we had just completed on the 2nd unit. Kosinski has a
saying, “keep it nodal.” It has become kind of a mantra that he
and Miranda would use when describing the director’s vision
for the visual aesthetic of the camera work for TRON: Legacy
3D. ‘Nodal’ to Kosinski meant perpendicular and symmetrical,
never dutch or off-angle. Kosinski and Miranda were largely
inseparable on the set of TRON: Legacy 3D. It is a very clear
example of the importance of the partnership between director
and cinematographer. The realization of the Kosinski’s vision is
largely made possible through Miranda’s careful choreography of
the technical components of camera, grip and lighting.
In reflecting on the time I spent as lighting camerman/operator
on the set, I can wholeheartedly say that every ounce of my
accumulated experience and knowledge was brought to the table
in order to achieve the shots required of us on the splinter unit
every single day. To this end, we were congratulated by producer
Justin Greene for completing every shot we set out to get without
exception. On the last day of principal photography, most of the
crew exceeds another 70-hour week. In my case, it is a seventh
straight day. We wrap as the sun comes up, shake hands and
admire Kosinski’s new TRON-ified LED light strip jacket
complete with light disk gifted to him by the costume department. Then, at long last, it is time for the crew to take some
well-deserved rest.
February 2010
I accept the supervising producer position at Greedy Productions
in Vancouver. Responsibilities include producing and shooting The Making of TRON: Evolution, the Video Game for Disney
Interactive/Propaganda Games.
March 2010
The first TRON: Legacy 3D trailer is released on-line. This is the
first time I see the material since we shot it. I am amazed by the
fact that my work as DOP/operator is featured in seven of the 50
shots in the two-minute trailer.
December 2010
My wife, Stanka, and I attend the cast and crew only screening
ul choreography of the technical components of camera, grip and lighting.” Chris Oben
in Vancouver. For most of the movie, my jaw is open as I drool
over the imagery and the incredible CG work. It seems like 20
per cent of the disk game is footage from our 2nd unit. Possibly
due to the incredible Daft Punk soundtrack, this is the most
immersive 3D that I have ever experienced. Jeff Bridges’s
on-screen presence dominates and his performance is seamless.
My wife and I and the audience love the film. There’s enthusiastic
applause as the credits roll. It’s a big moment, yet, sadly, the
entire splinter unit camera crew, including electrics, grips and
script supervisor, is un-credited.
January 2011
I see TRON: Legacy in IMAX 3D. It’s an entirely new film to
me, and I am impressed that nearly half the film is extended into
the full IMAX frame. It is an even more immersive experience.
My Duties on TRON
TRON: Legacy 3D: Lighting Camerman/A Cam OP 3D & 2D;
Lighting Camerman/OP for the test unit (wardrobe & makeup);
DIT for the main unit; witness camera, assistant/OP. TRON:
Legacy EPK: original cameraman. TRON: Legacy Blu-ray content:
DOP/OP/Steadicam. The Making of TRON: Evolution, the videogame: supervising producer/DOP.
TRON: Legacy 3D, Splinter Unit Crew
Lighting Camerman/OP: Chris M. Oben; 1st ADs: Bruce
Franklin & Brad Jubenville; VFX supervisor: Eric Barba; Digital
system engineer: Robert ‘Bruno’ Brunelle; 1st ACs: Robin
Lindala, Rusty Deluce, Dan Venti & Simon Jori; 2nd AC:
Ahmad Al-Tamimi; 2nd AC witness camera: David Wesley Kyle;
Pace 3D Data System tech: Manning Tillman; Gaffers: Shawn
McLaughlin, Jeff Pentecost & Simon Hunt; Key grips: Steve
Sherlock & Jesse Regimbal; Makeup: Rosalina De Silva; Stunt
coordinators: David Leitch & Scott Ateah; script supervisor:
Elspeth Grafton.
Garret Hedlund
15
Canada’s Man in
The
Don Carmody Interview
O
ne of Canada’s most successful film producers, with a
record six Golden Reel Award winners to his credit,
Don Carmody celebrates his 60th birthday in April.
Over the years he has produced many films with CSC DOPs,
including three with the late Reginald Morris csc (A Christmas
Story, Porky’s, Porky’s II: The Next Day), two with Glen MacPherson
csc, asc (Snake Eater II: The Drug Buster,
Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D), Pierre Gill csc
(The Art of War, Polytechnique), Robert
Saad csc (Shivers, Death Weekend) and
also with Steve Danyluk csc (Breakaway),
Peter Benison csc (Meatballs III: Summer
Job) and the late Don Wilder csc
(Meatballs). In 2010, Carmody won
the Best Picture Genie Award for coproducing Denis Villeneuve’s heartwrenching Polytechnique.
I had the privilege of sitting down
and talking to him at his Toronto
production office in February while he
was in prep for Silent Hill: Revlation 3D,
the 100th film that he has either produced
or executive produced over the span of a
40-year career.
Don Carmody
WW Where and when were you born?
Photo credit: Ralph Lucas, coursety of NorthernStars.ca
DC I was born in Providence, Rhode Island, 1951, and brought
up in Boston. My family ended up in Montreal when I was 11
years old.
WW How did you become interested in film?
DC While I was in Loyola High School, I was attending classes at
the Musée des Beaux-Arts. My parents lived in a town outside of
Montreal called Rosemère, which was noted for its golf course.
It wasn’t noted for anything else aside from being this little
English island in the middle of a French community. My train
left every morning at 7:20 a.m. and came home every evening
leaving downtown Montreal at 6:30 p.m. My classes in high
school ended at 3:15, and I was always interested in art, so I
enrolled in classes at the Musée after school. When it came time
for my university education, I marched into my father and I said,
‘You know that money we’ve been putting aside for my college
education? Let’s use it as a down payment on a garret where I can
paint.’ My father basically marched me to the door and said, ‘You
come back through that door in two weeks with a letter accepting
you to some institute of higher learning where you can get at least
two initials after your name or you don’t
come back.’
I went back to the Musée and I was
commiserating with my live-drawing
teacher, who was a well-known Quebec
artist, Charles Gagnon. He had been
fooling around with film; little animation things. He said, ‘I’m teaching film
at this college next year and I think
they give a degree.’ This turned out to
be Loyola College, which had the very
first communication arts department in
Quebec, and sure enough they offered a
degree. So I enrolled and, much to my
father’s dismay and disdain, got my
degree in communication arts. My major
was in film production. Later I got a law
degree from McGill. My father was overjoyed. ‘When you graduate, you’re going
to do your articling year with this guy.’
I told him, ‘I have no intention of
practicing law, I just want to make sure I don’t get screwed.’
So, really, my father and I didn’t speak for a number of years,
although later he did become my biggest fan.
WW I see on your résumé that you landed a job as a driver on Robert
Altman’s McCabe and Mrs. Miller.
DC I was the teaching assistant to a well-known film critic, Marc
Gervais, who was teaching firm theory. He was the coolest priest
I ever met. I became his assistant because I knew how to run
a projector. He was always lending his favourite students out
to various friends of his who wanted cheap labour. Virtually
everybody in Marc’s class ended up working on a Paul Almond
film for free. One day, he said, ‘Who wants to go out to Vancouver?
Robert Altman is a good friend of mine and he needs some
additional labour.’ I managed to catch a ride on a drive-away
car and I took the train from Calgary. I worked on McCabe and
Mrs. Miller as a gopher. One day I happened to be driving Julie
Christie and she liked me, so I ended up being her driver. It was
great and I loved Julie Christie. I’m still smitten.
WW I also see that you were involved, but un-credited, with The
Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz.
DC They didn’t give credits in those days to anybody but the
top people. The producers couldn’t get the locations that they
needed because nobody knew the Jewish community in Montreal
and it was a bit closed. In those days there was a lot of thinking
that they were somehow going to make Duddy Kravitz not the
way it was meant to be made, but rather make fun of the Jewish
community. Even though I wasn’t Jewish, I knew the big people
in the community. There were a lot of places that were closed to
the filmmakers before I got involved with my connections.
WW You ended up at Cinépix, which was a distribution company
run by John Dunning and André Link. How did that come about?
DC Ted really liked me on Duddy Kravitz and recommended
me to a friend of his, the director George Kaczender. He was
shooting a movie called U-Turn, and I got a job on that one.
I was officially the assistant production manager, but my job
entailed basically being in Montreal. The film was being shot
in Smith Falls, Ontario and every day I drove from Montreal
to Smith Falls with the dailies. When I got there, I would run
the dailies. George would give me his notes to take back to the
editors in Montreal. Then the editors would give me the first
edits, which I would drive over to Cinépix and show them to
John and André. Invariably I would be sitting in the screening
room beside John and he would dictate his notes to me. That was
my real film school. It was an amazing process.
WW You were involved with Ivan Reitman on both Shivers and
Rabid, the two early Cronenberg features. Ivan is credited with
producing them. What was your function?
DC While I was at Cinépix, André walked in one day with Ivan
and said, ‘Here you go. You guys work together. Ivan’s going to
be producing these things and you’re going to work with him.’
So we did the early David Cronenberg pictures and Death
Weekend with Bill Fruet and a bunch of things all the way through
to Meatballs.
WW After Meatballs you moved down to Los Angeles.
DC I didn’t work for two years after Meatballs. I couldn’t get anything done. In Hollywood, you’d go take a meeting and then
the guy wouldn’t return your phone calls. Eventually I learned
that in Hollywood, nobody says no because they don’t want to
but you have to learn how to read a yes. Anyway, I had been
down there for some time spinning my wheels when Harold
[Greenberg] called and said, ‘Look, I’m getting really busy here
and I need somebody to run the production side of Astral, so
will you come back and be my vice president in charge of
Ted Kotcheff’s The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kraviz, with Micheline Lanctôt
and Richard Dreyfuss, DOP Brian West.
production?’ I came back, and all of a sudden found myself
supervising all these Sandy Howard movies, which were drivel.
WW I believe you actually left Astral before you went to work on
Porky’s.
DC I had left Los Angeles to work with Astral on a contractual
basis. I went to talk to Harold and said, ‘Where am I going to
go from here? My last name is not Greenberg, so I’m not going
much higher here and I can’t keep making these Sandy Howard
movies.’ I had nothing against Sandy. He’s a lovely person and
one of the funniest men I’ve ever met, but he didn’t have great
taste in movies. I said, ‘I’ve got to go back to making my own
stuff.’ The American director Bob Clark came to me and said, ‘I
hear you’re leaving Astral and here’s a movie that I’ve been trying
to get made. Will you help me?’ It was Porky’s. I took it to Harold.
He had a lot of resistance from the people around him, but he
thought it was hysterical and his kids, Joel and Steven, thought so
as well. That was what kept the thing going, because it was quite
difficult to put that deal together. There were all kinds of caveats.
Harold would only get involved if there was another partner.
Mel Simon was the American shopping centre guy who had
wasted so much money on so many movies that hadn’t hit at
the box office. He agreed to join us for a certain piece of the
action. Then he turned to us and said, ‘I’m not sure if it’s suitable
for American distribution. I’m not involved unless you line up a
distributor.’ So we got 20th Century Fox interested in picking up
17
guy down from her office. He was basically there to tell us that
Fox was not going to distribute the movie. I remember after the
screening, he stood up and said, ‘You guys know that I’m here
to can this movie. But I can’t. This is the funniest thing I’ve ever
seen and I think its going to do terrific business.’
WW I’d like to move onto another film that still shows on television
at Christmas, A Christmas Story, which is another Bob Clark film.
DC Bob had been working on the screenplay since Porky’s and
had always been talking to me about it. With the success of
Porky’s, we didn’t need the support of the CFDC, although we shot
the picture mostly in Canada with a few days in Cleveland. The
interesting thing about A Christmas Story, which plays 24 hours a
day at Christmas on TBS in the States and a few other stations, is
that it’s never shown a profit. It was made for $4.5 or $5 million,
I can’t remember exactly, but in their infinite wisdom, MGM
released the picture in June. It didn’t do all that well and there
was no home video in those days. It wasn’t until a number of
years later that it became a personal favourite of Ted Turner. Since
it was made, the rights have been sold at least seven times. There
were lawsuits all over the place and I don’t know who owns the
rights anymore.
WW After A Christmas Story you wrote, produced and directed your
first film. Would you tell me about The Surrogate.
Denis Villeneuve’s Polytechnique, DOP Pierre Gill csc
the U.S. rights for a very small percentage. The weird thing about
the movie was juggling those three financing entities, and every
time I turned around, one of them was getting cold feet. One was
in Los Angeles, one was in Montreal and one was in Indianapolis.
I was constantly on a plane jumping around.
We had the entire crew in the North Miami Beach Holiday Inn
on my American Express card. They could eat there, they could
drink there, but if they stepped one foot outside of that hotel
they were on their own. Another part of the deal with Astral
was we had to qualify as a Canadian film. I remember having
these meetings with the teamsters and saying, ‘Okay, I’ll sign
your teamster agreement, but I’ve got to have Canadian drivers.’
They had to have a Canadian mother. They had to have a birth
certificate, but they kept sending me people like, ‘My mother’s
cousin is a Canadian, so I qualify, right?’ And I went, ‘no way.’
The deal that we had made with 20th Century Fox was with
Norman Levy, who was head of distribution. Sherry Lansing,
who had just become head of the studio, hated the script.
Norman wanted the film because he wanted to piss her off, or
so we were told. I have no idea if its true or not, but, knowing
Hollywood, it could quite possibly be true. When it came time
to screen the movie, we were running on fumes because it was
very expensive shooting in Florida. We had pretty much toasted
our contingency. We held the screening, and Lansing sent this
DC By that time I had produced maybe 20-odd movies I said, ‘I
know what to do and I can do this.’ I had a script that John and
André wanted to finance and I said, ‘I want to direct this because
I know I can do it.’ I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.
The Surrogate was an unabashed, commercial, sexy thriller type
of thing that was made to make money. In those days there was a
lot of interest in R-rated thrillers. Not only were they doing well
in the theatres, they were doing well on the new home video,
which was a way of getting around a lot of censorship in various
countries. It was one of the hardest things I ever did. The one
thing that movie taught me was that I was a producer and not a
director. I have been a lot nicer to directors ever since.
WW What’s your relationship with your DOPs? François Protat shot
The Surrogate and you have worked with him many times and a lot
of other very good Canadian DOPs.
DC Most of the other jobs on a film set I’ve ether done or I
certainly know how to do, so it’s pretty hard after all these years
to pull the wool over my eyes. I can still walk on a set and get
a sense when a DOP is taking too long, but I usually cut them
slack because I don’t know everything about it. I don’t know how
to paint with lights, so to speak, and I know that good ones do.
I certainly appreciate speed because I know that’s helpful to the
director to get as many set ups as he wants, but I don’t pretend to
know what the DOP does. I look at these cameras and go, ‘Too
many knobs and dials, and I have no idea what they do,’ so I do
cut them a lot of slack.
WW You have a reputation of bringing American films to Canada
and convincing people in L.A. that Canada’s a good place to shoot.
DC When I started doing pictures in Los Angeles, one of the first
was for Columbia Pictures. I came in on Jagged Edge to replace
a producer who had managed to get himself kicked off the set. I
became his eyes and ears on the set. Columbia said, ‘You did a
great job on that, how about doing some more for us?’ I said,
‘If you really want to save some money, why don’t you consider
moving some of these movies up to Canada?’ ‘Oh, well, there’s
nothing in Canada. We would have to bring everything in.’ I
said, ‘Oh, no. I’ve shot these movies in Canada and there are
great people, especially in Toronto and Montreal. Then with
pictures such as Spacehunter, which we shot a good chunk of it
in Vancouver, they said, ‘Oh, my God. The stuff you shot in
Vancouver is just as good as the stuff you shot in L.A.’ I said, ‘Yes,
and look at the cost.’
So they started giving me smaller pictures that didn’t have a
lot of big clout behind them and I’d bring them to Toronto,
kicking and screaming with their directors. They thought they
were being sent to Siberia. Over the years, eventually, the word
got back that this is not a bad place to shoot and there are really
good crews and actors.
WW I want to move onto 1990s, and another one of your Golden Reel
Award winners, Johnny Mnemonic with Keanu Reeves. You had a
big success with that one.
DC I got involved because of Robert Longo. Ever since art school
I’ve been collecting art and I have a fairly extensive collection of
American contemporary art. Longo was a hero of mine and when
I heard that he was involved in adapting Johnny Mnemonic I got
in touch with him. It was a bit of a challenge because Robert had
never directed a film before, but he has the most amazing eye and
I remember the battles between him and DOP François Protat
on the film. François would call me and say, ‘Come down here.
He has the camera on its side.’ I would come down to the set and
François would say, ‘I don’t know what to do. He won’t listen to
me and look at the camera.’ I’d say, ‘Alright, Robert, show me
the shot.’ Keanu would step in frame. ‘Shit, that’s kind of cool.’
I turned to François and said, ‘Relax, just let him do it’ until the
next battle. WW You are listed as a production consultant on Good Will Hunting,
the Matt Damon and Ben Affleck film that made them both stars.
DC I started doing pictures for the studios, especially when they
didn’t have other producers to call on. Then Kevin Hyman, whom
I had known from Film Finances, the bond company, called me
up and said, ‘Listen, I’ve left the bond company and taken the
job as head of production for Miramax. We’ve got some money,
but we have to make them cheap. They don’t care where we make
them, but I need somebody who can make movies cheap and be
a politician. Would you be interested?’ I flew down to meet with
Harvey and Bob Weinstein, got yelled at a little bit by Harvey,
and we began a working relationship. I made eight movies for
Miramax over the years and one of them was Good Will Hunting.
At the time I was also doing a movie with Sharon Stone called
The Mighty. I said this was serious overlap, and we need to bring
in a line producer, but I’ll oversee the picture. Part of my job
Christian Duguay’s The Art of War, DOP Pierre Gill csc
was to convince Ben and Matt that we could make Toronto look
like a stand-in for Boston, which we did. We ended up shooting
in Boston for seven days and the rest of the movie was shot in
Toronto. I loved working with Harvey and Bob. They were
always terrific to me and always very supportive. They gave me
my opportunity to work on Chicago.
WW Let’s move on to Chicago then.
DC Right after The Mighty, Harvey said to me, ‘You like musicals,
kid?’ Kid? I’m older than he is. I said, ‘I love musicals. I’m like
a closet musical freak. When I get sick, I sit in bed and watch
musicals.’ He said, ‘Well we’re going to do Chicago now.’ I had
seen the original Bob Fosse production. I met with the original
writer, Larry Gelbart from M.A.S.H. It was a funny script, but
it was your standard Hollywood musical. It was quite old fashioned, and Harvey, rightly so, was nervous. He told me, ‘I don’t
know if this is going to work because no musical since Cabaret
has worked.’ We went through several other writers, but they
couldn’t get it to work either, so it was put on the back burner.
Miramax owned the rights to make Rent as a movie. But they
couldn’t get it together as a movie, so they decided that they were
going to do it for television. To direct it, they had hired Rob
Marshall, who was a famous Broadway choreographer who had
done Annie for television. When Rob met with Miramax he said,
‘Oh, you want to talk about Rent. I was hoping you wanted to talk
about Chicago. I’d be honoured to do Rent, but Chicago would
make a terrific movie.’ He had the idea that if all the numbers
happened on the stage of the Onyx Theatre and it only existed in
Roxy’s head. Eureka! It was like the light bulb had gone on. We
made the movie for $40 million and the rest, as they say, is history.
19
or co-producers. Marty, because he liked me, allowed me to be
called the co-producer. But Marty has never made a film in his
life. I must say, I consider Harvey to be the producer of that
movie.
WW Then you picked up the Resident Evil franchise. Did you know
the video game before you got involved?
DC No. I wasn’t a gamer. When it came to making Silent Hill
later, I had to call my son because I couldn’t get off the first level.
WW For Resident Evil: Apocalypse you closed down the bridge
over the Don Valley in Toronto for a day.
DC One of the reasons that I love shooting in Toronto is because,
quite frankly, they let me get away with murder. They’re very
supportive, and on Driven I shut down University Avenue from
six until nine every night for a week, running cars up and down
the street. We shot Resident Evil in the middle of the SARS crisis,
so there was very little shooting in Toronto. I guess I was a bit of
a local hero for bringing in a big movie. We shut down City Hall
for nine days running, and at the end of the movie we blew the
place up.
WW Let’s move on to Polytechnique, which is a lot different from
Resident Evil. Basically, it’s a low-budget independent Canadian
movie without a great deal of box office appeal.
DC Yes, very, very different. I had this envelope from Telefilm
Canada. I didn’t even realize those things existed and actually the
first year I didn’t use it and gave it back. People were like, ‘You
what? You gave the money back to Telefilm!’ The following year
I was determined to do something with the money Telefilm had
allotted me. I had been talking with the guys at Remstar for a
number of years about doing something together. They had this
script by Denis Villeneuve and asked me to take a look.
Top: Catherine Zeta-Jones in Chicago. Bottom: Adelaide Clemens in Silent
Hill: Revelation 3D
WW Actually, you didn’t get the Oscar for that film, did you?
DC No. It was Marty Richards, who was the owner of the rights
and was the original producer on the first Broadway show. He
knew that if the picture was done properly there was going to
be an Academy Award nomination and he didn’t want to share
it with anybody, not even Harvey. We were all executive producers
I met with Denis. He’s definitely is an auteur director. He had his
own way of doing things. I would see the dailies and say, ‘This
is astonishing. How did he do this?’ I think the only kind of
tension we had was when he delivered his cut. I asked, ‘Where’s
the movie?’ He showed me the film, and I said, ‘This is amazing,
but where’s the rest of it?’ because it was only 75 minutes long.
‘What’s going to happen when you show this to Telefilm? They’d
say you’ve put all this money into this and this is what you’ve
got?’ Denis said, ‘I had a longer version, but it didn’t work. Then
I cut one even shorter and that didn’t work either. This is the
right length.’ From my commercial film making point of view,
I sign contracts where the movie has got to be a minimum of
88 minutes and a maximum of 110. Denis said, ‘No, this is my
movie. It’s 76 minutes and that’s what it is.’ I think, actually, if
it had been longer it might have become unbearable. Denis was
right. He’s a brilliant director, and I would work with him again
anytime.
WW Then you returned to the Resident Evil franchise. Resident
Evil: Aferlife is now officially the most successful film in Canadian
film history, finally supplanting Porky’s.
DC I really enjoyed doing the movie. We had done three and
the studio wanted another. Paul Anderson, the writer/director,
discussed how do we could do it. Was this going to be the swan
song, or could we figure out a way of kick starting for five, six
and seven? Paul said, ‘I’ll really knock it out of the park as much
as I can, but I want to do it in 3D because this really lends itself
to 3D.’ I was the one that was reticent, because I had done a 3D
movie in 1983, Spacehunter, that didn’t work out so well. I was
the one saying, ‘I don’t know if 3D is a flash in the pan. The new
technology is way better then it was, but are we just going be
shooting ourselves in the foot here?’
The decision was to shoot it in 3D because with the new
systems we could always throw away the right eye/left eye stuff
and release it in 2D. Paul is a very dedicated and studious
director. We looked at everything that had ever been released in
3D. We went back to The House of Wax and all the new stuff.
We checked out the various systems. There were only about
three systems that were really viable at that time. We saw 30
minutes of Avatar and were blown away by it. The decision was to
go with the Pace system, which was used on Avatar. We brought
in Glen McPherson as DOP. He’d done a 3D movie before and
was up on the latest technology. We did the 3D right and we’re
doing the sequel to Silent Hill in 3D as well. I think 3D is going
to be around for a while. I keep thinking if we were shooting
Chicago now, we’d do it in 3D. When it’s done right, it’s great.
I’ve seen some of these recent conversions, and they’re not done
right.
Ivan Reitman’s Meatballs, DOP Donald Wilder csc
WW In addition to Silent Hill: Revelation, you have recently
produced a couple of other low-budget Canadian hockey films,
Breakaway and Goon.
WW Among the 100 films you have produced, are there any
favourites, anything that really stands out?
DC Breakaway is a Bollywood hockey film, and Steve Danyluk
shot that one. He used to be a gaffer for me way back in the day.
Again, I’m using Telefilm envelope money to help fund it. I’ve
always been fascinated by the kind of multicultural mix that is
Toronto and I’ve been trying to develop something that told the
immigrant story the way it is in Canada. Then this script came
along telling the story about these Punjabi kids who wanted to
play hockey. Their parents are from India, but they’re Canadian
and they grew up hanging out with other kids and, of course,
playing hockey. There’s a great scene where the father is really
pissed off at his son and says, ‘Why are you playing this hockey?
Nobody plays it. A million people play cricket.’ His son looks at
him and says, ‘What time does Cricket Night in Canada come
on, dad?’
Goon is in post. We shot it in Winnipeg with Mike Dowse, the
FUBAR guy, the perfect director. The original story came from
Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Jay Baruchel who were all on
the set of Knocked Up. They were talking about why there isn’t
a great Canadian hockey movie and they came up with the idea
of Goon. Evan and Jay wrote the screenplay and they got it to
me. Slapshot is one of my favourite movies and even though I’m
not a hockey fan, I love Slapshot. We shot Goon with a great cast
[Baruchel, Liev Schreiber, Sean William Scott, Eugene Levy], and
it’s coming together very nicely. It will be ready later in the fall.
DC It’s the one that makes a lot of money. I always go back to
something that John Dunning said to me and I truly believe it.
Once I asked him the same question, ‘Of all these movies that
you’ve made, which one is your favourite?’ I expected him to
say this one or that one. Maybe Meatballs or Valérie, the one
that launched his career. He said, ‘There are no favourites. These
movies are like my children. I just send them out into the world,
dressed in the best clothes that we can afford, and just hope somebody loves them.’ I will always remember that comment. Every
movie I make I wish it success. I never make a movie thinking it’s
crap. I always hope that it’s going to find an audience.
WW Let’s take a different angle. Is there one that you regret making?
DC Battlefield Earth. I did it to pay my divorce attorneys. I didn’t
understand it and I didn’t like it. John [Travolta] showed up,
and he was about 50 pounds overweight. Once I saw the aliens,
I went, ‘We’re doomed.’ I really enjoyed working with Roger
Christian, who was the director, and his DOP [Giles Nuttgens]
was an amazing guy. It could have been so much better, and there
are still elements of it that work. If you look at the miniatures
and the visual effects, it’s an astonishing achievement considering
what it was made for.
WW On the flipside, what is the one you got most pleasure working on?
21
DC That would be Chicago. We worked seven days a week. It was
really hard work and we were short of money. But what a joy it
was to go to the set everyday. Rob Marshall is one of the nicest
men on earth and everyone was behind the movie. We’d be doing
a dance number, and I’d look behind me and there were all the
drivers lined up. You never see the drivers on set, in Toronto or
Hollywood or anywhere. They’re usually in their trucks taking a
snooze or reading the paper. There they were, all lined up watching the dance numbers.
her numbers where she slides down a pole in the prison, does a
cartwheel over a chair and then does the splits. It’s about two in
the morning, and she’s been doing this thing flat out nine times.
She says, ‘Oh my God, my thighs hurt. Does anybody want to
ice my thighs?’ She looks up and just burst out laughing because
every guy in the place had his hand up.
I have a great Catherine Zeta-Jones story. We’re shooting one of
DC Thank you very much.
WW It’s a great story. Perhaps we can end on that note. Thank you very
much for your time. Good luck in the future and on your 100th film.
Selected Credits
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
1971 (driver)
The Apprenticeship of Duddy
Kravitz 1974 (location scout)
Shivers 1975 (p)
Death Weekend 1976 (assoc. p)
East End Hustle 1976 (p)
Rabid 1977 (co-p/pm)
Meatballs* 1979
(production executive)
A Man Called Intrepid 1979
(exp, miniseries)
Porky’s* 1981(p)
Being Different 1981(exp)
A Christmas Story 1983 (co-p)
Porky’s II: The Next Day 1983 (p)
Spacehunter: Adventures in the
Forbidden Zone 3D 1983 (p)
The Surrogate 1984 (p/d/sc)
Meatballs III: Summer Job
1986 (p)
Snake Eater II: The Drug Buster
1989 (sc)
Weekend at Bernie’s II 1993 (co-p)
Johnny Mnemonic* 1995 (p)
The Late Shift 1996 (p,TV)
Good Will Hunting 1997
(consultant)
54 1998 (exp)
The Mighty 1998 (co-p)
The Boondock Saints 1999
(co-exp)
Get Carter 2000 (exp)
The Art of War* 2000 (exp)
Battlefield Earth: The Saga of
the Year 3000 2000 (exp)
he Whole Nine Yards 2000 (co-p)
Angel Eyes 2001 (exp)
Driven 2001 (exp)
3000 Miles to Graceland 2001 (exp)
The Caveman’s Valentine
2001 (exp)
The Pledge 2001 (exp)
Chicago 2002 (co-p)
City by the Sea 2002 (exp)
Gothika 2003 (exp)
Resident Evil: Apocalypse* 2004 (p)
Assault on Precinct 13 2005 (exp)
Silent Hill 2006 (p)
Lucky Number Slevin 2006 (exp)
The Boondock Saints II: All
Saints Day 2009 (p)
Polytechnique** 2009 (p)
Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D* 2010 (p)
Breakaway 2011 (p)
Goon 2011 (p)
SIlent Hill: Revelation 3D 2011 (p)
* Golden Reel Award for producing the
high-grossing Canadian film of the year.
** Genie Award for Best Picture.
Bo
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23
0
2011 CSC AWARDS
GALA NOMINATIONS
THE ROY TASH AWARD FOR SPOT NEWS CINEMATOGRAPHY
Adam Blair, Obstacles in Haiti, CTV News; Gord Edick, G20 Shots Fired/Protesters Confronted, Global News;
George Papadionysiou, Despair in Port-au-Prince, CTV News
THE STAN CLINTON AWARD FOR NEWS ESSAY CINEMATOGRAPHY
Allan Leader csc, Race the Base, Daily Planet, Discovery Channel; Jim Moule, Ice, CTV News, Calgary;
Kirk Neff, Field of Dreams, 16:9 The Bigger Picture, Global
CAMERA ASSISTANT AWARD OF MERIT
Yves Drapeau, Elizabeth House, Tobias Sarin, Kerry Smart
CORPORATE/EDUCATIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHY
Sarorn Sim, To Rebuild Haiti; Sarorn Sim, Hope School; Kelly Wolfert csc, BC Blueberries
STUDENT CINEMATOGRAPHY Sponsored by Panavision Canada
Gregory Biskup, Vidalonga, York University; Tess Marie Garneau, Play.Stop.Rewind,York University;
Samuel Lebel-Wong, Seeing Maggie Pootoogook, Ryerson University
LIFESTYLE/REALITY CINEMATOGRAPHY
Matthew Phillips csc, Beast Legends: Fire Dragon; Peter Rowe csc, Angry Planet “Crystal Cave”;
Tony Wannamaker csc, Party Mamas III “Sharon”
DOCUDRAMA CINEMATOGRAPHY
Jeremy Benning csc, The Egyptian Job; Damir Chytil csc, Breakout “Pittsburgh 6”; Ray Dumas csc, The Real Jack the Ripper
ROBERT BROOKS AWARD FOR DOCUMENTARY CINEMATOGRAPHY
Barry Lank csc, Nature of Things “Save My Lake”; John Walker csc, Winds of Heaven: Emily Carr;
Tony Wannamaker csc & Stefan Randstrom, Inside Disaster Haiti
MUSIC VIDEO
Samy Inayeh, Blake McGrath “Relax”; Samy Inayeh,V.V. Brown “Shark in the Water”; Brett Van Dyke csc,
Shane Yellowbird “Watching You Walk Away”
PERFORMANCE
Brendan Steacy csc, Last Call
DRAMATIC SHORT CINEMATOGRAPHY
Daniel Grant, Hangnail; Simon Shohet, Rosie Takes the Train; Craig Wrobleski csc, June
FRITZ SPIESS AWARD FOR COMMERCIAL CINEMATOGRAPHY
Gamal El-Boushi csc, acs, Massr El-Naharda Egypt Today; Christopher Mably, Tropicana Arctic Sun;
Adam Marsden csc, Brita Bottles
TV DRAMA CINEMATOGRAPHY Sponsored by Sim Video Productions Ltd.
Pierre Gill csc, Fakers; Ousama Rawi csc, bsc, Ben Hur (Night 2); Ron Stannett csc, Flicka 2
TV SERIES CINEMATOGRAPHY Sponsored by Technicolor Toronto
Rene Ohashi csc, asc, Nikita “2.0”; Ousama Rawi csc, bsc, The Tudors “Ep. 410”; Stephen Reizes csc,
Flashpoint “Acceptable Risk”; Michael Wale csc, Smallville “Shield”; Glen Winter csc, Smallville “Abandoned”
THEATRICAL FEATURE CINEMATOGRAPHY Sponsored by Deluxe
Nicolas Bolduc csc, La Cité; Paul Sarossy csc, bsc, Chloe; Paul Sarossy csc, bsc, The Duel;
Brendan Steacy csc, Small Town Murder Songs; Adam Swica csc, Casino Jack
SPECIAL HONOUREES AT 2011 CSC AWARDS
BILL HILSON AWARD: Rob Sim, President, Sim Video, “For outstanding service contributing to
the development of the motion picture industry in Canada.”
PRESIDENT’S AWARD: Don Angus, “For outstanding service to the Canadian Society of Cinematographers.”
KODAK NEW CENTURY AWARD: George Willis csc, sasc, “For outstanding contribution
to the art of cinematography.”
Thomas M. Harting csc
Pauline R. Heaton csc
Brian Hebb csc
David Herrington csc
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Kenneth A. Hewlett csc
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George Hosek csc
Colin Hoult csc
Donald Hunter csc
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Martin Julian csc
Norayr Kasper csc
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Jan E. Kiesser csc, asc
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Douglas Koch csc
Charles D. Konowal csc
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Barry Lank csc
Philippe Lavalette csc
Allan Leader csc
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Henry Less csc
Pierre Letarte csc
Antonin Lhotsky csc
Philip Linzey csc
J.P. Locherer csc
Larry Lynn csc
Dylan Macleod csc
Bernie MacNeil csc
Glen MacPherson csc, asc
Shawn Maher csc
David A. Makin csc
Adam Marsden csc
Donald M. McCuaig csc, asc
Robert B. McLachlan csc, asc
Ryan McMaster csc
Michael McMurray csc
Stephen F. McNutt csc, asc
Simon Mestel csc
Alastair Meux csc
Gregory D. Middleton csc
C. Kim Miles csc
Gordon Miller csc
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Paul Mitchnick csc
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Zbigniew (Ed) Pietrzkiewicz csc
Ronald Plante csc
Milan Podsedly csc
Hang Sang Poon csc
Andreas Poulsson csc
Don Purser csc
Ousama Rawi csc, bsc
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Stephen Reizes csc
Derek Rogers csc
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Brad Rushing csc
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Paul Sarossy csc, bsc
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John Spooner csc
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Michael Storey csc
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Adam Swica csc
Attila Szalay csc, hsc
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Paul Tolton csc
Bert Tougas csc
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John Walker csc
James Wallace csc
Tony Wannamaker csc
Peter Warren csc
Andrew Watt csc
Jim Westenbrink csc
Tony Westman csc
Kit Whitmore csc, soc
Brian Whittred csc
Ron Williams csc
George A. Willis csc, sasc
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Peter Woeste csc
Kelly John Wolfert csc
Bill C.P. Wong csc
Kevin C.W. Wong csc
Bruce Worrall csc
Craig Wrobleski csc
Yuri Yakubiw csc
Ellie Yonova csc
CSC ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Joshua Allen
Don Armstrong
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Brian Gedge
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25
CSC MEMBERS
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Kamal Derkaoui csc
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Michael Ellis csc
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Christopher M. Oben
Eric Oh
Alexandre M. Oktan
Ted Parkes
VANCOUVER
CALGARY
604-527-7262
403-246-7267
VANCOUVER
CALGARY
604-527-7262
403-246-7267
Deborah Parks
Pavel “Pasha” Patriki
Rick Perotto
Allan Piil
Scott Plante
Ryan A. Randall
Ali Reggab
Cathy Robertson
Peter Rosenfeld
Don Roussel
Albert Rudnicki
Steve Sanguedolce
Christopher Sargent
Andrew W. Scholotiuk
Ian Scott
Neil Scott
Neil Seale
Wayne Sheldon
Simon Shohet
Sarorn Ron Sim
Barry E. Springgay
Paul Steinberg
Marc Stone
Michael Strange
Joseph G. Sunday phd
Peter Sweeney
Aaron Szimanski
Peter Szperling
André Paul Therrien
George (Sandy) Thomson
John Thronberg
Ian Toews
John Walsh
Lloyd Walton
Glenn C. Warner
Douglas H. Watson
Roger Williams
Richard Wilmot
Peter Wayne Wiltshire
Carolyn Wong
Dave Woodside
Peter Wunstorf asc
Xiao Chen Yu
Steven Zajaczkiwsky
CSC Affiliate MEMBERS
JoAnne Alaric
Donald G. Angus
TORONTO
416-444-7000
TORONTO
416-444-7000
Derek Archibald
Robin Bain
Iain Alexander Baird
Peter Battistone
Russell Bell
Jacques F. Bernier
Tyson Burger
Gordon A. Burkell
Joseph Calabrese
Arnold Caylakyan
Bernard Chartouni
Johnny Yan Chen
Brent J. Craig
Brad Creasser
Colin Davis
Dominika Dittwald
Tony Edgar
Zachary Finkelstein
Randy French
Richard Gira
James D. Hardie
Stephen Hargreaves
Bruce William Harper
John Richard Hergel BA CD
Adam Christopher Hickman
Perry Hoffmann
Brad Hruboska
Marcel D. Janisse
Michael Jasen
Rick Kearney
Matthew Casey Kennedy
Guido Kondruss
Boris Kurtzman
Ryan Lalonde
Charles Lenhoff
Tony Lippa
John Lipsz
Lori P. Longstaff
Robert H. Lynn
Megan MacDonald
Jill MacLauchlan Parks
Justin McIntosh
Ian McLaren
Andrew Medicky
Alejandro Muñoz
Kar Wai Ng
Peter Osborne
Andrew Oxley
Gino Papineau
Graeme Parcher
Kalpesh Patel
Greg Petrigo
Craig Pew
Douglas B. Pruss
Lem Ristsoo
Susan Saranchuk
Chirayouth Jim Saysana
James Scott
Alexey Sikorsky
Brad Smith
Michael Soos
Gillian Stokvis-Hauer
HALIFAX
Steve Thorpe
902-404-3630
Steven Tsushima
902-404-3630
HALIFAX
Paula Tymchuk
Anton van Rooyen
Trevor J. Wiens
Irene Sweeney Willis
Ridvan Yavuz
CSC LIFE MEMBERS
Herbert Alpert csc, asc
Robert Bocking csc
Raymond A. Brounstein csc
David Carr csc
Marc Champion csc
Christopher Chapman csc, cfe
Robert C. Crone csc, cfc, dg
David A. De Volpi csc
Kelly Duncan csc, dgc
Glen Ferrier
John C. Foster csc
Leonard Gilday csc
John Goldi csc
Kenneth W. Gregg csc
John B. Griffin csc
Edward Higginson csc
Brian Holmes csc
Brian Hosking
Joan Hutton csc
Douglas Kiefer csc
Rudolf Kovanic csc
Les Krizsan csc
Naohiko Kurita csc
Harry Lake csc
Peter C. Luxford csc
Duncan MacFarlane csc
Harry Makin csc
Douglas A. McKay csc
Donald James McMillan csc
Jim Mercer csc
Roger Moride csc
George Morita csc
Wilhelm E. Nassau
Ron Orieux csc
Dean Peterson csc
Roland K. Pirker
Randal G. Platt csc
Norman Quick csc
Roger Racine csc
Robert G. Saad csc
Josef Seckeresh csc
Michael S. Smith
John Stoneman csc
Kirk Tougas
Y. Robert Tymstra
Walter Wasik csc
Ron Wegoda csc
James A. Wright
Keith Young
CSC HONOURARY MEMBERS
Roberta Bondar
Vi Crone
Graeme Ferguson
Wilson Markle
indicates demo reel online,
www.csc.ca
Used Leica Geo System Disto Laser Measurement Devices Attention crew technicians interested in selling used Leica Disto Laser Measurement devices for
cash to upgrade to newer models. Contact: Alan J. Crimi, Panavision Canada
Corp. at 416-258-7239, shipping, receiving and client services at 416-444-7000
or [email protected]. www.panavision.com.
Short-Term Accommodation for Rent
Visiting Vancouver for a shoot? One-bedroom condo in Kitsilano on English
Bay with secure underground parking, $350 per week. Contact: Peter Benison
at 604-730-0860, 416-698-4482 or [email protected].
Equipment for Sale
Pro 35 with three mounts (Nikon, PL & Canon) $4,500; Sony F900 with low
hours and accessories, no lens $6,000 obo. Contact: Angela Donald, 416-8494877 or [email protected].
Sony DXC-D30 3 Camera Live Production Package includes three DXCD30
cameras/camera backs/ CCUs and multicore camera cables; Panasonic WJMX70 8 input switcher; full camera and switcher monitoring package and
waveform/vectorscope; equipment rack for camera monitors & CCUs. Wired
and operational. $19,500. Contact Ted Mitchener at ZTV Broadcast Services for
complete list of equipment: 905-290-4430 or [email protected].
Portable Gel Bin great for studio or location use, holds 24 Rosco or Lee colour correction, diffusion, reflective, scrim, etc., rolls outer dimensions measure
17.5x24x 63 inches, not including wheels and sturdy wooden construction,
painted black, bottom and back wheels, side handles hinged front & top, locks
for added safety, handy reference chart, $300 obo; Darkroom Safety Lights
popular Model D type, accepts 10x12 inches safelight filters (possibly included,
depending which kind you’re looking for), takes 7½-, 15- or 25-watt bulb, excellent condition, $50 each. Contact: Andrew at [email protected].
1,489 hours; C – 4,286 hours, $10,000.00 obo. Contact: Craig Wrobleski csc at
403-995-4202
Aaton XTR Super 16 package including body, video relay optics, extension
eyepiece, three magazines, Cooke 10.5-mm–60-mm S-16 zoom lens, Zeiss 9.5
prime lens, 4x4 matte box, 4x4 filters (85,85N6, polarizer, ND6, clear), follow
focus and cases $17,500. Nikon 50–300-mm F4-5 E.D. lens with support,
$1,000. Kinoptik 9–8-mm 35-mm format lens c/with sunshade. Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]
New Video Camera Rain Covers. Custom rain covers for sale. New design
that fits and protects most Sony PMW EX3, Canon XHHDV, Panasonic VX200
cameras with the viewfinder extending toward the rear of the camera, $200.
Noiseless rain cover for the external camera microphone, $30. Onboard Monitor rain cover, camera assistants can see the focus during the shot. No more
hassles in the rain, $60. Custom Red One camera covers available upon request. Also can sew various types of heavy-duty material. Repairs and zipper
replacement on equipment and ditty bags. Contact: Lori Longstaff at 416-4529247 or [email protected].
NEW PRICE – DVW700WS Digital Betacam with viewfinder and two widescreen zoom lenses. Canon J1 5x8 B4WRS SX12 and Fujinon 5.5-47. Very low
hours on new heads, $8,000 plus tax. Contact: Michael Ellis at 416-233-6378.
Betacam SP Camera package including BVP550 Betacam SP camera with
BVV5 recorder, complete with Fuijinon 15x8 broadcast zoom lens, “Red Eye”
wide-angle adapter, 6 IDX Li-Ion batteries, IDX quick charger with AC adapter,
flight case, soft carry case, Sony monitor and 10 fresh Beta SP tapes ($140
value), $2,500. Contact: Christian at 416-459-4895.
Fujinon XA17X7.6 BERM-M48 HD Lens in new condition, bought and mounted but never used. As new in box (camera is sold), $7,900. Panasonic Digital
AV mixer WJ-MX50 (missing a few knobs from the lower right corner on the
audio mixer), $400. JVC TN-9U 9-inich colour monitor, $60. Photos available for
everything. Contact: [email protected] or 604-726-5646.
Canon HJ11x4.7Birse HD WA lens one DOP owner, canon factory maintained, $12,000; Canon KJ16Ex7.7 HD lens, mint-used only a dozen times, one
DOP owner, canon factory maintained, $5,000; Sennheiser evolution 100 wireless mic kit with wireless lav and wireless handheld mics and receiver with
original packaging, mint, barely used, $700. Contact Dave: c 416.553.3356 or
email [email protected].
For Sale
Briese 77 Light, full kit, including Tungsten and HMI flicker-free setup, two
Eggcrates and Manfrotto Mega-Boom. Excellent condition, $ 22,000. Contact: [email protected]
Digital audio natural sound effects library for sale, recorded in various
countries. All recorded on VHS digital with analog audio search on audio channel 1 and time code on audio channel 2. Completely catalogued by time code
and includes Sony PCM decoder. $3,500.00 OBO. Contact: rvbocking@rogers.
com.
Sony Beta SP DXC-D30WSP/PVV3P, PAL, 262hours drum time, $ 2,500;
Sony Beta SP DXC-D30WS/PVV3, NTSC, 251hours drum time, $2,500; Sony
BetaCam SX DNW-7, NTSC, 257hours drum time, $5,000; and IKEGAMI DVCAM HL-DV7-AW, NTSC, mint condition, as new, 61hours drum time, $7,000.
All cameras with porta-brace covers. All owned by me and serviced by Sony
Hong Kong. Sony Beta SP/SX player/recorders, DNW-A25P X2, PAL & NTSC,
500 & 644hours drum time, $6,000; Satchler 575 HMI, open-face, mint condition with spare bulb, $2,500 & case. The lot for $20,000. Contact: François Bisson at [email protected].
Sony BVW-400a Betacam SP Camcorder camera used by professional
cinematographer (one owner), never rented out. Comes complete with Fujinon
A15x8BEVM-28 lens, Petroff matte box with 4x4 and 4x5.6 filter holders, remote zoom and focus control for lens, six Cadnica NP-1 batteries, Sony BC1WD battery charger, Porta-Brace fitted cover with rain jacket (like new) and
Sony factory hard shipping case and manuals. Lens and camera professionally maintained by factory technicians. Usage hours are: A – 1,918 hours; B –
28-Foot Black Camera Trailer with new brakes and tires, 20-foot awning,
dark room, viewing lounge, two countertops with lots of storage space, heating
and air conditioned, side windows and three access doors. Contact: [email protected]
CAMERAMAN WANTED
We are a family of four planning a trip to Argentina from Canada and we are
exploring the possibility of filming the trip, therefore we are looking for a motorcycle cinematographer. The trip would take close to a year and the accommodations would be what we find on the way. We are also planning to go
where vehicles other than bikes cannot access, so being a competent rider is
essential. Contact: Henry Rekers at [email protected].
Camera Classified is a free service provided for CSC members. For all others,
there is a one-time $25 (plus GST) insertion fee. Your ad will appear here and
on the CSC’s website, www.csc.ca. If you have items you would like to buy, sell
or rent, please email your information to [email protected].
27
Camera Classifieds
Equipment Wanted
PRODUCTIONS & CALENDAR
Production Notes
Chaos (series); DOP Attila Szalay csc, hsc; OP Richard Wilson; B Cam OP Brian Whittred csc;
to April 29, Vancouver
Combat Hospital (series); DOP Gavin Smith csc; OP Sean Jensen; to July 15, Toronto
Covert Affairs II (series); DOP Colin Hoult csc & Jaime Barber (alternating episodes); OP David Sheridan;
to October 17, Toronto
Degrassi: The Next Generation XI (series); DOP Alwyn Kumst csc; OP Jeremy Lyall;
to November 17, Toronto
Flashpoint IV (series); DOP Paul Sarossy csc, bsc & Stephen Reizes csc (alternating episodes);
OP Tony Guerin; to September 15, Toronto
The Guys Who Move Furniture (feature); DOP Jeremy Benning csc; OP Jason Vieira; to April 7, Toronto
Laurence Anyways (feature); DOP Yves Bélanger csc; to April 11, Montreal
Life with Boys (series); DOP Mitchell Ness csc; to July 7, Toronto
Mirador (series); DOP Jérôme Sabourin; to June 8, Montreal
Nikita (series); DOP Rene Ohashi csc, asc; OP Steven Adelson; B Cam OP J.P. Locherer csc;
to April 6, Toronto
The Samaritan (feature); DOP François Dagenais csc; OP Dino Laurenza; to April 21, Toronto
S.O.S. II (series) DOP Marc Gadoury csc; to June 30, Montreal
Untitled Santa Project (TV movie); DOP John Berrie csc; to April 7, Toronto
Warehouse 13 III (series); DOP Mike McMurray csc & David Herrington csc (alternating); to July 22, Toronto
Calendar of Events
April
2, CSC Awards, Westin Harbour Castle Conference Centre, Toronto, csc.ca
28– May 8, Hot Docs, Toronto, hotdocs.ca
MAY
4–5, Hot Docs Forum, Toronto
14–15, CSC Lighting Workshop, Toronto, csc.ca
JUNE
12–15, Banff World Media Festival
Canadian SoCiety
of Cinematograph
erS
Canadian SoCiety
of CineMatograph
erS
$4 Januar y 2011 www.csc.ca
$4 March 2011 www.csc.ca
an exclusive interview with
David Moxness csc,
DOP on the Mini
series
The Kennedys
Pascale Bussières
Stars in Marécages
DOP Serge
Desrosiers csc
10-MAR
10-JAN
08
0
56698 94903
9
10
3D Is Here to Stay • The
0
Shining • Peter Rowe csc
56698 94903
9
Reel Canada • 2010 AGM
Reports • The Newman
Airhead
Subscribe to Canadian
Cinematographer
online www.csc.ca
One-year subscriptions are available in
Canada for $40.00 for individuals and
$80.00 for institutions, including HST.
In U.S. rates are $45.00 and $90.00 for
institutions in U.S. funds. International
subscriptions are $50.00 for individuals
and $100.00 for institutions.
A CLEAR PATH THROUGH POST
Format
SxS cards
Direct to Edit workflow
Tape-based workflow
Format
HD
Tape
Format
HD
On-board recorder
File-based workflow
On-board recorder
ARRIRAW workflow
Format
ALEXA gives you a choice of ultra fast workflows.
give you instant access to dailies and the freedom
Whichever of the ALEXA output options you go
to start an off-line edit immediately. If you choose
for, our Direct to Edit feature will speed up your
an HD workflow, the Apple ProRes codecs will
workflow. When recording uncompressed HD or
allow you to begin your on-line edit simply by
ARRIRAW, the Apple QuickTime proxy that is
removing the memory card from ALEXA and
simultaneously recorded to onboard SxS cards will
slotting it into a laptop: nothing could be easier.
More details on www.arridigital.com
©Kodak, 2011. Kodak is a trademark.
The Kodak
Totem Award
Designed to emulate the
artistic combination of the art
and science of cinematography,
the Kodak Totem Award
is presented annually to each of
the Genie nominees in the
‘Achievement in Cinematography’
category.
This award symbolizes the ongoing
dedication and commitment
to excellence that the nominees
bring to their craft.
Congratulations to the 31st annual Genie Award nominees for
Achievement in Cinematography.
Bernard Couture CSC Stéphanie Weber-Biron
101/2
Les amours imaginaires /
Heartbeats
André Turpin
Incendies
Ronald Plante CSC
Piché: entre ciel et terre /
Piché: The Landing of a Man
Claudine Sauvé
The Wild Hunt

Get PDF - Canadian Society of Cinematographers

Transcription

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