American Cinematographer - March 1995 - 73

Single Frame Motor &
match-moved into the shot.

"Lastly, we added a
computer graphics bi-plane that
intercut with the real airplane,"
Kennedy explains. "We chose
that route because we could
trol and choreograph the

con¬

shot
precisely using a CG air¬
plane. As our CG bi-plane flew
more

Intervalometer for Arri 16 SR
*

12 to 24 VDC power.

Crystal shutter speeds

Intervals from 1

Burst feature 1-15 frames per
LED frame counter.

1/16

sec.

to over 8 min. time exposure

fps to 60 hrs.

Foreword/reverse

pulse.

operations.

ALSO SYSTEMS FOR: Aaton, Arri S&M, Arri
35IIC, Arri 35III, Bolex Rex 4 & 5, Eclair ACL,
Mitchell 16mm, Mitchell S35R MKII, Mitchell 35

HS, Mitchell BNC, AP65mm, Imax, Vistavision

toward the radio tower, which
also CG, we wobbled the

was

plane and added a parallax shift
to our plate of the city. Even the
propeller turning on the real
plane was CG."
Kennedy doesn't see
Radioland Murders' fix-it effects as
the natural successor to the Young
Indiana Jones series or Forrest

BERGERSEH

NEW NIKON TILT LENS

FILM

PRODUCTION
SERVICE

TOTAL CONTROL OVER DEPTH-OF-FIELD

Gump. Instead, Kennedy believes
type of work was always part

FAST LENSES

of Lucas' scheme for ILM: "I
think it evolved from the get-go.
The roots of the company are in

NO VIGNETTING

this

doing effects that people don't
initially perceive as effects."
ILM is moving closer
and closer towards becoming a
digital studio, where films like
Radioland Murders

can

QUICK SET-UP

SWIVELS 15° ANY DIRECTION

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be made

effectively in the editing and spe¬
cial effects bays. "What's little
known about all this is how much

George Lucas' personality is be¬
hind this revolution," reveals
director Matthew Robbins

(Dragonslayer, Batteries Not In¬
a longtime friend.

cluded),

Robbins feels Lucas' ultimate

goal is to transform ILM into a
digital backlot and, like one of the
original moguls, make films en¬
tirely within the studio. "George
has always been a filmmaker
who

most

home

postproduction. And all the tools
that he has forged through this
company have been designed to
allow him to be in that cutting
room

with

bells, whistles

35 MM

The Fries model 435 is a new general purpose MOS production
35mm camera. With its optical printer compatible register pins,
steadiness and 150 FPS speed. The 435 is ideally suited for spe¬
cial effects, commercials or any photography where a quality

steady image is desired.
The 435 is

a spinning mirror reflex camera with a 170 degree
blanking shutter. The internal 30VDC motor runs the camera

from 2 to 150 FPS forward and 2 to 50 FPS reverse, in one
frame increments all crystal. The camera is equipped with takeup and supply torque motors.
There are both 1000 ft. and 400 ft. displacement type maga¬
zines. A new feature is the light valve which allows the operator
to direct all the light to the viewing system, or to the video

assist,

combo which splits the light between both viewing and

video assist.

WHY NOT SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE?
The

the

and toys to utilize his imagina¬
tion. It is that desire that has

new

same

Fries Director's Viewfinder allows the director to view the full camera aperture .980 x .735, thru
lenses that will be used on the camera when filming. Why aren't you getting the whole picture?

ITfF*

pressed ILM to come up with so
many of these techniques.
"The digital tools ma¬
nipulating these shots are not
that big a step away from what
we

would call conventional film-

making," Robbins adds, "so it
seems

to me

that ILM is

actually

Film

Clip: The finder has a set of register pins that will hold a film clip the

Groundglasses: Interchangeable. The
Fries

same

the Fries

camera.
cameras.

Director's

Viewfinder

Engineering designs and manufacturers special effects cameras and conversions in 35mm, 65mm

and Vistavision

8743

same as

groundglass as is used in the Fries 35R and 35R3

including high speed, time lapse and motion control.

Shirley Avenue, Northridge, California 91324 Phone 818-998-5400 FAX 818-998-7553

American Cinematographer - March 1995

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