Spent some time sharing and exchanging ideas with fellow filmmakers, photographers and image makers - Ryan Hughes, Kar Wai Ng and Arash Moallemi. We did a little informal testing but mainly discussed workflow, shortcomings of DSLR cameras, as well as imaging technique and application in general. Hopefully, the first of more meetings to come.

Some pics from the day - all photos by Arash - thanks!

barrycheong.com 7D package next to a standard 5D.

Ryan testing out handheld with my 7D. He was very interested in exploring handheld shooting, as his last experience hadn’t been too favorable. The added hardware of my package definitely makes handheld easier to accomplish.

Kar Wai and I talking shop…

“It’s better to make 1 cut that works than 10 that don’t. It’s better to set 1 light that works than 20 that don’t. It’s better to have 3 fabulous words of dialogue than 20 that are lousy.” -Gordon Willis, ASC

“Subtractive thinking is very important, meaning less is better than more. Generally speaking, if something’s not working, you’re doing too much.” -Gordon Willis, ASC

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I saw a quick test my friend Ryan Glover did with his GH1 and a Panasonic anamorphic adapter attachment designed originally for the DVX100 and it got me interested in researching the idea further. Some other people have been experimenting with similar adapters and DSLR video. These anamorphic adapters, originally designed to convert 4:3 video to 16:9, have since fallen off the radar, but used with 16:9 native chips will give you roughly 2.35:1 aspect ratio plus all the characteristics of using anamorphic lenses, most famously the blue vertical streaking. The adapter essentially squeezes the image vertically by a factor of 1.33x resulting in everything looking skinny but in post you stretch everything back out by that same factor which results in your wider aspect ratio.

The adapter I’m using is a Century Optics Digital Series lens with 58mm threads that I believe was originally used with a Sony PD-150 back in the day. The 58mm thread works well with Canon EF primes like their 85mm and 50mm 1.4 and with a simple stepping ring, to their wider lenses which have the smaller 52mm thread. I’ve been testing mainly with their 50mm 1.8 which is the only lens I have access to at the moment. It will unfortunately not work with their L series lenses.

(My 7D w/ Canon 50mm 1.8 and Century anamorphic lens attachment.)

Click on the screen grab at the top of the post to see a quick test I did. Shot in available light between 640 and 1250 ISO, between T/2.8 - 5.6, and anywhere between 7-15 feet roughly away from the subject. I flared the lens manually with an LED maglite for fun as well. Please excuse my silly friends, who thought it would be silly to dress up and be silly in front of the camera. I think they’re pretty silly (and awesome).

There definitely are some limitations with focus and exposure with this adapter, but as such force you to frame, block and generally work slightly differently. For example the lens starts performing a lot better once you stop down to T4 - 5.6 (as do real anamorphic lenses used with 35mm cameras). Also, with the 50mm at least, you have to maintain at least 4 or more feet away from your subject to get focus. I briefly tested the adapter on an 85mm 1.8 and found focus difficult to achieve even at deeper stops. Putting more distance between lens and subject will probably help but at that point defeats the purpose of using that long of a lens unless you really need the spacial representation of an 85.

In general this adapter is not for every project but for a certain look, for a certain project it could be really great. More thorough testing to come.

“I never shot something with one bulb on because I thought it was unique; I shot it that way because I thought it was right. There are other people all over the world who perceived it as unique — or horrifying, depending.” -Gordon Willis, ASC

American Cinematographer’s Facebook page is posting Gordon Willis quotes all week so I thought I would share them here since they’re insightful, blunt in a really great way and really get you thinking…

“A lot of people think a scene is dull if the camera’s not moving. What makes a scene dull is the content of the scene. If that’s no good, the camera can move back and forth forever, and it’s not going to help.” -Gordon Willis, ASC

I don’t usually post random things here but I came across this quote by Cinematographer Gordon Willis, ASC and found it incredibly profound yet wonderfully simplistic…I thought I would share:

“I’ve told students many times to concentrate on the purpose rather than the method of doing something. It’s not really ‘How do I do this?’ It’s ‘What is the purpose of this?’ If you think that way, you’re going to do things differently.” - Gordon Willis, ASC

Prepping a live performance shoot for my friend Stacey Kaniuk happening later in the week….

Happy shooting.

/b

[Click Above to View]

A little short impromptu video I shot of my cousins during this past Thanksgiving weekend. Canon 7D, 24P, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8 lens @ 640 ISO. Cut in FCP w/ a little basic color correct with FCP 3-way.

Being able to shoot this doc style, on the fly content wherever and whenever is really exciting to me.

Click picture above to view.

After a long and tedious process I’ve finally completed the re-design on my website. As always you can find it at:

http://www.barrycheong.com

Key new highlights include:

- New layout and design for better navigation and organization of content.
- Brand new Showreel for 2009.
- New clips from projects added.
- New i-phone version for those on the go! Just click the iphone link on the main splash page at the site index.
- Updated resume and gearlist.

I’ve also updated my photography site which can be found at:

http://www.barrycheong.com/photography

Please feel free to direct any questions or comments to me at barry@barrycheong.com.

I was fortunate to be asked to speak about cinematography at Ernest C. Drury Highschool for the Deaf in Milton to a group of students. A colleague and friend, Catherine MacKinnon, whom I worked with last year on a shoot, spearheaded this fantastic initiative that spent 3 days exposing students to the various elements of filmmaking (screen writing, producing, wardrobe design, etc) through various guest presenters.

The students will now take the skills that they’ve learnt and apply it to making short films as part of the Toronto International Deaf Film and Arts Festival in May. It was wonderful to see the students so enthusiastic about movie making and I can’t wait to see the films that they end up making.

I will be giving a similar presentation this week to Northern Secondary School in Toronto.

Group shot with the students. Some of the guest speakers and myself in the front row. Catherine MacKinnon, in red, who put this all together, in front with us also. Also pictured are some of the teaching staff and wonderful translators.