American Cinematographer - July 1992 - 66

The One

They Ask
For By
Name.

managed to find several structures

100 ASA 9248 film

right next to it. The eventual win¬

Tiffen neutral density filters on day¬

field in Evansville, Indi¬

light scenes. This was crucial in
dealing with the "very hot, very
strong light." Most of the time the

ner was a

ana,

which

was

redressed

the

as

home field of the Rockford Peaches.
A bonus to choosing the Evansville
location was the availability of a

stadium

in

nearby
Huntingburg, Indiana. With lim¬
ited reconstruction, this site was
turned into the home stadium of
the Peaches' chief rivals.
Ondricek usually

found

the light best for shooting between
11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. As
Marshall good-naturedly recalled,

"Every morning we'd come in
early and wait for those silks to go
up and not get a shot off till eleven.
Miric wanted 'French hours' be¬
cause

they provided the best light¬
"We did

tion

a

lot of prepara¬

taking pictures of where the

and how these stadiums
looked and where the shadows

sun was

came up to from the stands,"
Ondricek said. "It had to match as
well as possible because sometimes
home plate is in the shade and
sometimes it's in the sun." The

moving lines of light and shadow
continued to be a major continuity
concern throughout production.
In addition to a night
game, Ondricek and Marshall
planned to shoot one game in the
sun and one game under overcast
skies. This proved impossible, since
there were only two overcast days
during the shoot. In the end, the

Available with

Magnetic or
Square Wave
Ballast

shade

scenes

had to be re-shot.

For the game sequences,
the first unit employed two

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BURBANK, CALIFORNIA

(818) 843-4560
In

California

Nationally

91505

extensively on the silks for
bounce. Marshall remembers, "We
used so many silks we looked like
we were sailing away. But I knew
that he lights women beautifully."
The daylight was sup¬
ported at times with 12K and 6K
and also with brutes.
Ondricek went to Kodak 500 ASA
for the night scenes in the stadium
and used a variety of pre-existing
and supplemental tungsten lights.
"There were at least seven towers
of light there in the stadium but al¬
HMIs

everything had to be fixed,"
wiring wasn't great,
breakers weren't good, and

most

the

of the circuits didn't work at
all. We also added four lights on top
of the roof of the stadium to in¬
some

the light in the infield."
The nighttime closeups
were done
using mostly 2Ks with
diffusion. Electrical problems aside,
the night shooting was a welcome
relief from the oppressive heat of
the Indiana summer. To replenish
their systems, the entire cast and
crew drank about fifteen
glasses of
crease

day. It got so hot one after¬
that when soundman Les
Lazarowitz laid his digital ther¬
mometer on home plate to take a
water

a

noon

photo, the temperature rose to 125
degrees before the thermometer
broke.

assigned to the second unit. Two
Arris were also brought in, mainly
for special mountings in difficult
situations. "We had to show the

sit in the bleachers and be moved

action of the game with the camera

angles and motion," Ondricek said.

around from every different angle
when it was 120 degrees out was

"Most of the outside work

unbelievable." Ondricek

Panavision cameras,

with

a

third

was

using

one

focal length suitable for framing
within the zoom range. It was
easier than changing lenses." The

FAX: (818) 843-7834

anamorphic zooms were 40mm to

(1-800) 692-6700
: (1-800) 325-7674

200mm, although the longer

:

backlit, and Ondricek

relied

According to Marshall,
though, "The local crowds were
very cooperative. They did us the
great favor of showing up. They
were
up early in the morning get¬
ting into period costumes. And to

done with zooms, but
CINEMILLS CORPORATION

women were

stock, using 1/2

he said. "The

ing-"

J 2500 SE PAR

Ondricek chose Kodak's

Rockford, Illinois, had high-rises

second

THE SILVER BULLET

lengths were rarely needed.

which hadn't deteriorated. One, in

July 1992

focal

agreed,

noting, "The extras hung in with us
even
though we lost a couple of
players that day to the heat."
In part to show its appre¬
ciation, Penny Marshall's com¬
pany, Parkway Productions, was
American Cinematographer - July 1992

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