American Cinematographer - March 2008 - (Page 53) placed a couple of “Fly Swatters,” 20'x20' silks suspended from 80' Condors, to keep harsh sunlight off the actors. The actors were softly lit from the ground with 18Ks through additional silks, bringing them into the same contrast range as the background. The episode required one additional element: wind. “We had four 100-mph computer-controlled Turbo fans,” reports Peterson. “Each required a 100-amp generator and a forklift to move it around. Just figuring out how to deploy all this equipment on our 40-foot-wide street required massive logistical planning.” Peterson worked closely with Dave Karriker of Modern VideoFilm, the visual-effects supervisor on the show. (The episode required so many effects shots that a storyboard artist was hired.) Peterson’s visual-effects background includes two years of operating on Star Trek: The Next Generation, one of the shows that pioneered the use of CGI on television. He has also shot second-unit greenscreen work on a number of Hollywood features. “I never thought I’d use those skills on Desperate Housewives,” he admits with a laugh, “but over the years, I have.” In the episode, Lynette (Felicity Huffman) and Mrs. McClusky (Kathryn Joosten) are having an argument in the middle of Wisteria Lane when they turn and see a funnel cloud in the distance. Filmed with a 24mm lens, the shot takes in almost the entire street. The camera cranes up beyond the two women and sees the twister. “That shot was achieved very cheaply by doing a static VistaVision plate,” explains Peterson. “Essentially, we laid a VistaVision camera on its side and photographed a still plate, and the visual-effects artists added a CG funnel to the top of the static frame. Normally, you’d do a tilt up, and they would have to put markers on 53 http://www.barger-lite.com http://www.barger-lite.com http://sydneyfilmschool.com http://sydneyfilmschool.com http://bostoncamera.com http://bostoncamera.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - March 2008 American Cinematographer - March 2008 Contents Editor’s Note Short Takes: Bill Viola’s Ocean Without a Shore Production Slate: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids Magical Mystery Tour Some Kind of Monster Tantalizing Television Making Sitcoms “Sexy” Post Focus: Mega Playground Helps Set Look for Sibling Post Focus: Visual Effects Society Launches White Paper New Products & Services International Marketplace Classified Ads Ad Index In Memoriam: John McPherson, ASC ASC Membership Roster Clubhouse News ASC Close-Up: Wayne Kennan American Cinematographer - March 2008 American Cinematographer - March 2008 - American Cinematographer - March 2008 (Page Cover1) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - American Cinematographer - March 2008 (Page Cover2) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - American Cinematographer - March 2008 (Page 1) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - American Cinematographer - March 2008 (Page 2) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Contents (Page 3) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Contents (Page 4) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Contents (Page 5) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Contents (Page 6) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Contents (Page 7) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Editor’s Note (Page 8) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Editor’s Note (Page 9) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Short Takes: Bill Viola’s Ocean Without a Shore (Page 10) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Short Takes: Bill Viola’s Ocean Without a Shore (Page 11) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Short Takes: Bill Viola’s Ocean Without a Shore (Page 12) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Short Takes: Bill Viola’s Ocean Without a Shore (Page 13) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Short Takes: Bill Viola’s Ocean Without a Shore (Page 14) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Short Takes: Bill Viola’s Ocean Without a Shore (Page 15) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids (Page 16) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids (Page 17) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids (Page 18) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids (Page 19) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids (Page 20) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids (Page 21) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids (Page 22) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids (Page 23) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids (Page 24) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids (Page 25) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Magical Mystery Tour (Page 26) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Magical Mystery Tour (Page 27) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Magical Mystery Tour (Page 28) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Magical Mystery Tour (Page 29) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Magical Mystery Tour (Page 30) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Magical Mystery Tour (Page 31) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Magical Mystery Tour (Page 32) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Magical Mystery Tour (Page 33) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Magical Mystery Tour (Page 34) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Magical Mystery Tour (Page 35) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Some Kind of Monster (Page 36) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Some Kind of Monster (Page 37) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Some Kind of Monster (Page 38) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Some Kind of Monster (Page 39) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Some Kind of Monster (Page 40) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Some Kind of Monster (Page 41) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Some Kind of Monster (Page 42) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Some Kind of Monster (Page 43) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Some Kind of Monster (Page 44) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Some Kind of Monster (Page 45) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television (Page 46) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television (Page 47) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television (Page 48) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television (Page 49) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television (Page 50) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television (Page 51) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television (Page 52) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television (Page 53) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television (Page 54) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television (Page 55) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television (Page 56) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television (Page 57) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Making Sitcoms “Sexy” (Page 58) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Making Sitcoms “Sexy” (Page 59) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Making Sitcoms “Sexy” (Page 60) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Making Sitcoms “Sexy” (Page 61) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Making Sitcoms “Sexy” (Page 62) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Making Sitcoms “Sexy” (Page 63) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Making Sitcoms “Sexy” (Page 64) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Making Sitcoms “Sexy” (Page 65) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Post Focus: Visual Effects Society Launches White Paper (Page 66) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Post Focus: Visual Effects Society Launches White Paper (Page 67) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Post Focus: Visual Effects Society Launches White Paper (Page 68) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Post Focus: Visual Effects Society Launches White Paper (Page 69) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - New Products & Services (Page 70) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - New Products & Services (Page 71) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - New Products & Services (Page 72) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - New Products & Services (Page 73) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - New Products & Services (Page 74) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - New Products & Services (Page 75) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - New Products & Services (Page 76) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - New Products & Services (Page 77) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - International Marketplace (Page 78) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Classified Ads (Page 79) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Ad Index (Page 80) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Ad Index (Page 81) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - In Memoriam: John McPherson, ASC (Page 82) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - In Memoriam: John McPherson, ASC (Page 83) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - ASC Membership Roster (Page 84) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - ASC Membership Roster (Page 85) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Clubhouse News (Page 86) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Clubhouse News (Page 87) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - ASC Close-Up: Wayne Kennan (Page 88) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - ASC Close-Up: Wayne Kennan (Page Cover3) American Cinematographer - March 2008 - ASC Close-Up: Wayne Kennan (Page Cover4)
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.