American Cinematographer - July 1990 - 12

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Suggestions Well Taken
I wish to give a lot of credit to
American Cinematographer. It is an ex¬
cellent magazine because it allows you
to learn techniques from wonderful cine¬
matographers and it keeps you in touch
with the industry and innovative new
technology. However, I would like to
make a few suggestions:
The "Reflections" articles

excellent because you can see exactly
how a scene was lit. There's no confu¬

TIME-SAVING FEATURES
*

sion. I find that I learn more technique
from these articles than all articles in an

leveling system (while
shooting). So smooth it nearly

New auto

issue combined. Yet, there's only one in
each issue and some issues don't even
have one.
The film stock test series

eliminates track.
*

*

balancing
capacity increases load without
moving weights.

Greater mercury

New ultra-smooth

2-speed belt-

drive turret.
*

New detachable

battery pack for
light

additional silent power or arc
and on-board generator for

recharging.
*

are

Side platform provides additional
deck space and safer arm control.

But, I wonder how much of that is due to
paid to the
camera/recorder system and how much

the amount of attention

is due to having a
first place. HDTV

superior camera in the
exhibited on an HDTV
system looks great, but reduced to 525
lines looks a lot like NTSC as we know
it. It seems obvious that film to video is

safe for

long time to come.
[Richard] Leacock's com¬
ment that filmmakers study and work
harder than video people is absurd. There
are hard working people in all industries
a

Mr.

and there

pro¬

headsets, this works much better than
two-ways and bullhorns.

others, but I'd rather be shown the results

As a motion picture fan lucky
enough to occasionally work on a produc¬

than be told.
I guess

I'd really like to see
illustrating lighting setups
and techniques throughout the magazine.
I think other young cinematographers like
myself, would really appreciate seeing
more

visuals

more.

-Vlad

Gregorian

tion, I want to thank those creative

people that have provided me with many
hours of entertainment and enlighten¬
ment. And yes, I enjoy viewing most in a
good theater with a full size screen and
good audio. But, I am not above renting
a favorite movie and watching it on TV.
-Paul Mills
New York, NY

extend with turret
Video

vs.

Film

interest Kim
Foley's "Preferences Recorded in Paral¬
lel Shoot" (May 1990). I have always
been interested in the comparisons and
contrasts of the

film and video "look".

Why was the HL-79 selected?
It is a very good camera, but in the world
of video cameras it is a small format, 2/
3 inch tubes. The BL3, on the other hand
is a full 35mm camera. The lenses used

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might also have been more closely
matched although both are common
lenses.
I

am

not convinced that con¬

verting HDTV to normal NTSC is a good
thing. The HDTV video I have seen con¬
verted to normal NTSC has been good.

2000 LAKEWOOD WAY. BLOG. 4
ATLANTA. GA 30315
10

a

that actual photographs were needed for
the explained results. I don't know about

Canada

CALL PS-A
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AND LITERATURE

*

well.

(Nov., Dec. 89; Jan 1990) were great, but
as I was reading though them, I really felt

I read with great

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as

people appear to
it is often a lack of re¬

camera

duction is being shot with one camera
the director is usually on the set as he
should be. As to communicating via

Control switches and camera
power on nose
extensions.

slackers,

be out of sync
hearsal time that makes it thus. If

Willowdale, Ont.,
*

are

If the

July 1990

Feelings About Format
passionate fan of cinema,
particularly films shot in formats wider
As a

than the 1.85:1 standard, I am distressed

by the number of films released to cine¬
mas

where all the relevant action takes

place within the TV safe

area.
While I understand that films

have a long shelf-life now, thanks to
video, and ticket prices are making fam¬

ily viewing (if there is such a thing any
more) on a big screen almost impossible,
video is

a

viable alternative. Films are,

ideally, shot for the big screen.
Letterboxing takes care of
tio differences for 1.85:1

unless filmmakers

are

or

ra¬

wider, and

allowing them¬

selves to be squeezed into the

screening
American Cinematographer - July 1990

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - July 1990
