American Cinematographer - September 2007 - (Page 30)

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY… In an industry increasingly driven by change, Clairmont Camera endeavors to stay at the cutting edge of technology and provide customers with a complete range of state-of-the-art equipment. DP Michael Trim and DIT Ethan Phillips share some of their recent experiences with digital packages from Clairmont Camera. On the Showtime TV series “Weeds,” Trim and Phillips are starting their second season using Clairmont-modified Sony F-900 cameras. They also used a Clairmont Arri D-20 package for a recent pilot. Trim: “This is our second year using Clairmont’s F-900s on Weeds and they are truly dependable workhorses. I can’t say enough about them. One of the problem areas of the original F900 was with the viewfinder, but Clairmont has addressed that issue with their modified units. And the way that Clairmont has re-engineered the lens mount using a special hardened mount has eliminated the need to continually back-focus when you change lenses –a time-consuming necessity with the non-Clairmont standard F900. There are a number of other key improvements that Clairmont has made to the camera that make it a pleasure to work with.” Phillips: “What I appreciate the most about Clairmont Camera is that you can go there and sit down with someone like Mike Condon, explain what you’re trying to accomplish, and he’ll come up with a fiber-optics and HD base station package that’s ideal for the shoot. The high level of expertise that Clairmont’s staff has demonstrated over the years gives me complete confidence.” Trim: “Their technical support is awesome. Denny Clairmont, Alan Albert and Bill Sturke are always there for us if we have any problems, and truthfully I can’t think of one problem that we’ve had. They seem to be totally on top of the digital world, and everybody has an answer to your questions. The shift from film to digital has not been the smoothest transition for many of us, but Clairmont makes it easy with all of their help.” Phillips: “It’s been my experience that Clairmont always has the equipment we need readily available, it’s in top notch condition, and prepping goes smoothly.” Trim: “The Evertz fiber optic gear is a great asset. You can be sure that the fiber optics back saves a considerable amount of time on the set compared to dealing with conventional BNC cabling. With the fiber optic cabling we’re able to keep Ethan’s engineering station in one central location, which is convenient and it also saves time. I love the lenses Clairmont offers with the F900; the E-series Fujinon zooms and the digi primes. They’re easy to work with and deliver excellent results.” Director of Photography Michael Trim is now in his second season with the hit show “Weeds,” using Clairmont-modified Sony F900 cameras. He has also worked with the Arri D-20, and shares his observations on the equipment and Clairmont Camera

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - September 2007

Contents Editor’s Note Global Village DVD Playback Production Slate Bourne Again Cultural Immersion Baroque Visions Once Upon a Time in Bucharest Short Takes Post Focus Filmmakers’ Forum New Products & Services Points East International Marketplace Classified Ads Ad Index ASC Membership Roster Clubhouse News Wrap Shot

American Cinematographer - September 2007

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