Momentum

Stop Carré Plus - GSC Photo exhibition 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:58:29 PDT

Stop Carré Plus
GSC Photo Exhibition 2013

The Municipality of Athens in cooperation with the Greek Society of Cinematographers (GSC) organizes the Photo Exhibition "Stop Caree Plus" at the Center of Arts in Athens from 25/6 to 7/7/2013. Greek Cinematographers will show how you can write a story with light exhibiting footage from their favorite films of the last fifteen years and behind-the-scenes stills.

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Martin Scorsese: The Wolf of Wall Street

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:31:38 PDT

The Wolf of Wall Street
1st Official Trailer

The Wolf of Wall Street Trailer
Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are back, this time on Wall Street. The film was lensed by Rodrigo Prieto and shot on Arri Alexa Studio, Hawk V-Lite and V-Plus Lenses, Arricam LT, + Canon EOS C500.

The duo’s fifth collaboration, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” is an adaptation of Jordan Belfort’s memoirs and chronicles the former stockbroker’s rise and fall in the New York financial world, along with his hard-partying lifestyle and tumultuous personal life. Matthew McConaughey, Jonah Hill and Kyle Chandler co-star.

Adapted by Terence Winter (“Boardwalk Empire”), “The Wolf of Wall Street” was financed by Red Granite with principals Riza Aziz and Joey McFarland producing along with Scorsese, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Irwin Winkler, Alexandra Milchan, DiCaprio and his Appian Way partner Jennifer Killoran.

Visit: The Wolf of Wall Street
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"300: Rise of an Empire" - 1st Official Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 00:38:30 PDT

300: Rise of an Empire
1st Official Trailer

300: Rise of an Empire Trailer
The 3D film shot on RED EPIC is Directed by Noam Murro and lensed by Simon Duggan, ACS, from a screenplay by Zack Snyder & Kurt Johnstad, based on the graphic novel Xerxes, by Frank Miller.

It is produced by Gianni Nunnari, Mark Canton, Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder and Bernie Goldmann. Thomas Tull, Frank Miller, Stephen Jones and Jon Jashni serve as executive producers.

The creative filmmaking team includes production designer Patrick Tatopoulos, editor Wyatt Smith and costume designer Alexandra Byrne. The music is composed by Junkie XL.

Based on Frank Miller’s latest graphic novel Xerxes, and told in the breathtaking visual style of "300," this new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield —on the sea— as Greek general Themistokles attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war.

300: Rise of an Empire pits Themistokles against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes, and Artemisia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy.

The film stars Sullivan Stapleton (Gangster Squad) as Themistokles and Eva Green (Dark Shadows, Casino Royale) as Artemisia.

Lena Headey reprises her starring role from "300" as the Spartan Queen, Gorgo; Hans Matheson (Clash of the Titans) stars as Aeskylos; David Wenham returns as Dilios, and Rodrigo Santoro stars again as the Persian King, Xerxes.

The film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Visit: 300: Rise of an Empire
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Kickstarted Documentary - Documenting the Crowdfunding Revolution

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 23:48:58 PDT

Documenting the Crowdfunding Revolution
Kickstarter campaign

A documentary by Jason Cooper,
Jay Armitage and Chris Gartin
telling the story of the crowdfunding
revolution and the people behind it.
In 2012, over 1 million projects and businesses were crowdfunded to the tune of $2.7 Billion Dollars. The market is on pace to more than double in 2013.

Three Los Angeles filmmakers making a documentary about the crowd-funding phenomenon have turned to the most logical place to find backing for their project: Kickstarter.

The film, Kickstarted, is to chronicle the rise of this revolutionary form of financing creative projects by focusing on the people behind some of the most high-profile campaigns, including actor and filmmaker Zach Braff, musicians Amanda Palmer and John Vanderslice and video game industry veterans Brian Fargo and Chris Roberts.

"What's unique about crowd funding is you have these passionate creators out there in front of everybody, baring their souls, to get something done," filmmaker Jason Cooper said. "You're succeeding or failing in such a direct way."

At its core, Kickstarted is about more than the creation of a crowdfunded economy. It’s about the passionate, driven and dedicated people who are forging the future of creativity and entrepreneurship. These dreamers have put everything on the line – their futures, reputations, social equity, even their souls – hoping that the crowd will believe in them and their ideas.

Visit: Kickstarted Documentary
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Timelapse of a Supercell near Booker, Texas

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 04:53:01 PDT

Timelapse of a Supercell near Booker, Texas
By Mike Olbinski

A supercell near Booker, Texas
Mike Olbinski shot this gorgeous timelapse of a Supercell formed in Texas. The timelapse was shot on a Canon 5D Mark II with a Rokinon 14mm 2.8 lens.

Olbinski writes on his Vimeo description:

"It took four years but I finally got it. A rotating supercell. And not just a rotating supercell, but one with insane structure and amazing movement. I’ve been visiting the Central Plains since 2010. Usually it’s just for a day, or three, or two…but it took until the fourth attempt to actually find what I’d been looking for. And boy did we find it.

No, there was no tornado. But that’s not really what I was after. I’m from Arizona. We don’t get structure like this. Clouds that rotate and look like alien spacecraft hanging over the Earth.

We chased this storm from the wrong side (north) and it took us going through hail and torrential rains to burst through on the south side. And when we did…this monster cloud was hanging over Texas and rotating like something out of Close Encounters.

The timelapse was shot on a Canon 5D Mark II with a Rokinon 14mm 2.8 lens. It’s broken up into four parts. The first section ends because it started pouring on us. We should have been further south when we started filming but you never know how long these things will last, so I started the timelapse as soon as I could."

Visit: Mike Olbinski
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Top Tips For Short Filmmakers

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:28:32 PDT

Top Tips For Short Filmmakers
BAFTA Guru

Short Films, In Depth
To celebrate the launch of BAFTA Shorts 2013, filmmakers Gavin Humphries (The Curse) and Muriel d'Ansembourg (Good Night) join guest host Will Massa and jury chair Lisa Bryer to talk about getting shorts written, made and seen.

Short Films, In Depth
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Advice + Ideas For New Filmmakers
BAFTA Guru dissect the best bits from BAFTA and Rushes Soho Shorts' recent New Filmmakers Market, including the dos and don'ts of pitching, how writers, directors and producers can best work together, and how you can make money from your film once it's finished.

Speakers include: Nik Powell (award-winning film producer and head of the National Film and Television School), Julia Short (film sales and marketing guru) and Karen Hope (writer and director) and host Dave Green.

Advice & Ideas for New Filmmakers
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Behind The Budgets: Short Film
A successful producer knows how to budget effectively. This is even more vital in short filmmaking where budgets are assembled and spent creatively and often on a bargaining basis. In an environment where no two projects are alike, the London Film Academy brings together a line-up of filmmakers behind some of the most successful shorts of recent times and – made on budgets ranging from micro to macro – and asks them just how they got away with it.

Speakers include: Alex Boden (Pistashio Pictures, with credits including Inglorious Basterds), Gavin Humphries (Quark Films, and whose short The Curse was in Cannes in 2012) and Christine Chueng (whose feature Lovelorn has screened at 29 festivals worldwide).

Behind the Short Film Budgets
Visit: BAFTA Guru
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New Sony BRAVIA W9 Commercial shot at 900fps

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:13:43 PDT

New BRAVIA W9 Commercial shot at 900fps
Phantom Flex Camera

Making of BRAVIA W9 Commercial
What's even better than watching a bunch of vividly coloured paint pots exploding? Seeing just how Sony filmed it. The new BRAVIA W9 LED TV Commercial was filmed with the Phantom Flex at a speed of 900fps - and taking all day to set up the shot for just a couple of seconds of filming - this short clip shows just how much work went into the brilliant new ad for the BRAVIA W9 LED TV from Sony.

The new Sony BRAVIA W9 Commercial
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"The Camera that Changed the World" BBC Four - Full Documentary Online

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 01:39:09 PDT

The Camera that Changed the World
BBC Four Documentary

The Camera that Changed the World
The summer of 1960 was a critical moment in the history of film, when the fly-on-the-wall documentary was born. The Camera that Changed the World tells the story of the filmmakers and ingenious engineers who led this revolution by building the first hand-held cameras that followed real life as it happened. By amazing co-incidence, there were two separate groups of them - one on each side of the Atlantic.

In the US, the pioneers used their new camera to make Primary, a compelling portrait of American politics. They followed a then little known John F Kennedy as he began his long campaign for the presidency.

Meanwhile, in France, another new camera was inspiring an influential experiment in documentary filmmaking. Chronique d'un Ete captures the real lives of ordinary Parisians across the summer of 1960. Both these extraordinary films smashed existing conventions as handheld cameras followed the action across public spheres into intimate and previously hidden worlds.

In The Camera that Changed the World this remarkable story is told by the pioneers themselves, some of whom, such as DA Pennebaker and Al Maysles are now filmmaking legends. Back in 1960, they were determined young revolutionaries.

Directed & Produced by Mandy Chang.

Visit: BBC Four
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101 Best Written TV Series of All Time - The WGA Official List.

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:42:35 PDT

101 Best Written TV Series of All Time
Writers Guild of America

The Sopranos tops the list followed by Seinfeld,
The Twilight Zone, All in the Family, and M*A*S*H*
LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK, June 2, 2013 -- Recognizing the essential role that writers have played in creating and elevating the medium of television since its inception, the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced the list of the 101 Best Written TV Series, honoring seven decades of outstanding television programming and the writers who brought it all to life. The list was determined through online voting by WGAW and WGAE members.

A follow-up to the WGA’s 101 Greatest Screenplays (2006), the “TV 101” list honors classic, trailblazing series and miniseries, as well as current and critically acclaimed programs, from comedies and dramas to variety/talk and children’s programming.

“At their core, all of these wonderful series began with the words of the writers who created them and were sustained by the writers who joined their staffs or worked on individual episodes,” said WGAW President Chris Keyser and WGAE President Michael Winship in a joint statement. “This list is not only a tribute to great TV, it is a dedication to all writers who devote their hearts and minds to advancing their craft.”

Writers Guild members had a broad and dynamic TV programming field to choose from, as eligibility criteria included any series that aired from the early years of television through the present, on broadcast TV and basic or pay cable.

All genres of scripted series were eligible for consideration, including animation, children’s, comedy, daytime/serial, drama, scripted anthologies, miniseries with six hours or more of programming, and variety/talk series.

Series must have been written in English, have aired in the U.S., and featured onscreen writing credits. (Individual episodes, specials, non-serialized or individual programs including telefilms/movies-of-the-week, and miniseries with less than six hours of programming, were not eligible.)

Read: The full list
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The Top 25 Drama Schools in the World

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 22:50:27 PDT

The Top 25 Drama Schools in the World
The Hollywood Reporter

New York's Juilliard School leads the pack as The Hollywood Reporter ranks the programs where Meryl Streep, Jessica Chastain and Jon Krasinski learned the ropes. This story first appeared in the June 7 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

1. The Juilliard School, NEW YORK CITY

NOTABLE ALUMS: Jessica Chastain, Laura Linney, Viola Davis, Patti LuPone, Kelsey Grammer, Robin Williams

2. Yale School of Drama, NEW HAVEN, CONN.

NOTABLE ALUMS: Meryl Streep, Paul Newman, Sigourney Weaver, Angela Bassett, Patricia Clarkson, Frances McDormand, Paul Giamatti.

3. Tisch School of the Arts, NYU NEW YORK CITY

NOTABLE ALUMS: Alec Baldwin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michael C. Hall, Jeremy Piven.

4. Carnegie Mellon University, PITTSBURGH

NOTABLE ALUMS: Rob Marshall, Steven Bochco, Holly Hunter, Zachary Quinto.

5. London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, LONDON

NOTABLE ALUMS: Chris O'Dowd, John Lithgow, Jim Broadbent, Donald Sutherland.

6. Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, LONDON

NOTABLE ALUMS: Clive Owen, Diana Rigg, Tom Wilkinson, Peter O'Toole, Anthony Hopkins.

7. University of North Carolina School of the Arts, WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.

NOTABLE ALUMS: Mary-Louise Parker, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Parnell, Tom Hulce, Terrence Mann.

8. National Institute of Dramatic Art, KENSINGTON, AUSTRALIA

NOTABLE ALUMS: Baz Luhrmann, Mel Gibson, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Judy Davis.

9. Northwestern University, EVANSTON, ILL.

NOTABLE ALUMS: Stephen Colbert, Warren Beatty.

10. State University of New York, Purchase, PURCHASE, N.Y.

NOTABLE ALUMS: Melissa Leo, Edie Falco, Parker Posey, Stanley Tucci.

11. The Actors Studio, Pace University, NEW YORK CITY

NOTABLE ALUMS: Chris Stack, Xanthe Elbrick.

12. Guildhall School of Music & Drama, LONDON

NOTABLE ALUMS: Eileen Atkins, Orlando Bloom, Michelle Dockery, Joseph Fiennes, George Martin.

13. ACT, SAN FRANCISCO

NOTABLE ALUMS: Denzel Washington, Delroy Lindo.

14. UC San Diego, SAN DIEGO

NOTABLE ALUMS: Danny Bernstein, James Avery.

15. CalArts, VALENCIA, CALIF.

NOTABLE ALUMS: Alison Brie, Don Cheadle.

16. USC School of Dramatic Arts, LOS ANGELES

NOTABLE ALUMS: Troian Bellisario, Grant Heslov, Stark Sands, Danny Strong, Forest Whitaker.

17. DePaul, CHICAGO

NOTABLE ALUMS: John C. Reilly, Gillian Anderson, Elizabeth Perkins.

18. Florida State, SARASOTA, FLA.

NOTABLE ALUM: Paul Reubens.

19. Harvard University, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.

NOTABLE ALUMS: Faran Tahir, Kate Whoriskey, Jeff Zinn, Bart Delorenzo, Tina Landau.

20. Syracuse University, SYRACUSE, N.Y.

NOTABLE ALUMS: Aaron Sorkin, Frank Langella, Taye Diggs.

21. UCLA, LOS ANGELES

NOTABLE ALUMS: Tim Robbins, Eric Roth, Jack Black.

22. Rutgers, NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.

NOTABLE ALUMS: Calista Flockhart, Kristin Davis.

23. Brown University, PROVIDENCE, R.I.

NOTABLE ALUMS: John Krasinski, Julie Bowen.

24. William Esper Studio, NEW YORK CITY

NOTABLE ALUMS: Timothy Olyphant, Patricia Heaton, Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates.

25. University of Washington, SEATTLE

NOTABLE ALUMS: Rainn Wilson, Kyle MacLachlan, Joel McHale, Jean Smart.

Visit THR for the full article
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CASCADA short film

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 10:30:49 PDT

CASCADA short film
Forge Motion Pictures

CASCADA
Tangled vines. Endless rain. Dodgy hotel rooms. Mud. Biting flies. Aggressive viruses... Perfection. Is this a vacation? Erik Boomer, Tyler Bradt, Galen Volckhausen, Tim Kemple, Anson Fogel, Blake Hendrix and Skip Armstrong hunt the remote Mexican jungle for the perfect waterfall...and the perfect shot. Paddler and cinematographer alike explore a world beyond the expected.

From FORGE Motion Pictures.
Directed by Anson Fogel & Skip Armstrong.
Music by HECQ and Anson Fogel.

Visit: FORGE Motion Pictures
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Yiannis Daskalothanasis, GSC Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:54:41 PDT

Yiannis Daskalothanasis, GSC was born in Athens, Greece in 1954. In 1976, after graduating Stavrakos Cinema School, he started working as a Cinematographer lensing various documentaries, commercials, TV series and Fiction films. Designing Cinetools is one of his passions and he serves the Cinema community as a member in various boards and societies.

In March 2013, Yiannis was elected to be the 1st President of the brand new Greek Society of Cinematographers (GSC). The official non-profit Greek association of Professionals Cinematographers.

Yiannis' various awards include the Audience Award Seven Art for best Cinematography (2013), Personalities Award (2006), Golden Knight for best Cinematography - Moscow Film Festival (2002) and the Greek state Award for Best Cinematography (2001).

I had the pleasure to first meet him during the Screening of Keanu Reeves' doc Side By Side in Athens back in February and since then we had several talks discussing cinematography and filmmaking. The following lines are extremely interesting so make a cup of coffee and enjoy the talk.

Alex Maragos: So Yianni, talk to me about the founding of the GSC.

Yiannis Daskalothanassis: This is not the first effort to establish the Greek Society of Cinematographers. We started more than 10 years ago with difficulties and problems which we finally managed to overcome. We learned our lesson from the mistakes of the past and this exchange of ideas and common effort between us in the difficult period of crisis in Greece made as better friends.

Agelos Viskadourakis, Yiorgos Frentzos, Ilias Adamis, Dionisis Efthimiopoulos, Yiorgos Argyroiliopoulos, Dimitris Theodoropoulos and me, are the protagonists of this effort. We've spend months planning how to establish a society of persons inspired by the same dreams and ideas. We also tried to avoid all bureaucracy and formalities of a typical union because we are a group of friends and we like to act as friends.

But to legalize our relationship we had to establish a legally correct scheme which needs to have a board. So we had the first elections and the result of this was that I had the pleasure of being elected as a President, Vice President is Yiorgos Frentzos, Secretary: Dionisis Efthimiopoulos, Treasurer: Vasilis Klotsotiras and Member of the Board is Argiris Theos. But our main concept is that none among as is more important than the rest.

The management of this society should not be carried by presidents and boards so we decided to have a manager who is responsible to run the house and every year we evaluate his ability of doing so. It is not necessary for him to be a DP. He organizes the activities and with the help of committees of our members we try to function in a more effective way.

Panos Stamboglis who is not a Cinematographer but a very experienced person in making things happen, voluntarily offered his cooperation. Now in 2013 we are a solid group of 29 DPs and good friends among us Viskadourakis Agelos, Yiannis Daskalothanasis, Yiorgos Frentzos, Yiorgos Argyroiliopoulos, Ilias Adamis, Dimitris Theodoropoulos, Christos Voudouris, Theodoros Michopoulos, Epaminondas Zafiris, Vassilis Klotsotiras, Kostis Gikas, Stelios Apostolopoulos, Polydefkis Kirilidis, Olympia Mytilineou, Argyris Theos, Spyros Pagonis, Fotis Mitsis, Stamatis Gianoulis, Dionysis Efthimiopoulos, Simon Sarketzis, Giorgos Gianelis, Dimitris Kasimatis, Giorgos Michelis, Philipos Koutsaftis, Kostas Stamoulis, Claudio Bolivar, Katerina Maragoudaki, Alexis Grivas, Christos Alexandris, and we are ready to accept more Cinematographers, so we can fulfill our purpose, to represent the body of the top Greek Directors of Photography. We are part of the ex European and now International Society of Cinematographers (IMAGO).

• What are the main goals and objectives of the Society?

The main goals of our society include several issues that are crucial for us. Educate the new generation of filmmakers by organizing seminars and trying to inspire the young enthusiasts to try and gain deeper knowledge of the art of cinematography. Educate the general public about the importance of a director of photography together with the director in transforming a literary project (the script) into a visually expressed art form.

Keep the level as high as possible by educating our members constantly. Organize workshops running equipment tests exchange information about the development of the visually story telling art of cinema. Contribute in the cinematographic art and industry as much as we can.

We have already helped two young graduates from our national film school, Nikos Apostolopoulos and Katerina Gerothanasi, to produce a short film by providing them the equipment and the help of Adamis Ilias and Frentzos Yiorgos. We intent to help students in any way, who have talent and interesting stories to tell, to produce their short films.

• What is the Society's vision?

Every member should find his or her potential. In a world that is rapidly changing the cinematographers must keep inspiring the audience. We want to keep ourselves informed and updated by learning from the global community of visual arts and also by communicating our knowledge to others.

• What does it take to be a GSC member and what are the criteria for being accepted into the Greek Society of Cinematographers? Talk me through the procedure.

To be a full member is a honorary distinction about the artistic value and the authorship of every Director of Photography. One can apply to the GSC board by providing a CV and the proposal by two full members of the Society.

The General Assembly then evaluates his/her work according to the International standards. At least three feature films must be provided (short films are also accepted) which are already released in public theatres. The acceptance of the 8/10 of the full members is important.

GSC Show Reel
• What are the key-benefits of being a member of the GSC?

To be a GSC member and as a result an IMAGO member is a honorary distinction. It is also a certification to the international cinema industry about the artistic capability and quality of the person that carries the GSC title.

• What advice do you have for film producers and Directors about finding the right Cinematographers to collaborate with them?

For the producers I think that an expensive Cinematographer is the best investment. For the directors you should just follow your heart.

• How do you see the future of Cinematography & Filmmaking?

As the media is getting more and more democratized we need talented authors to pop out from the mass and visually produce the unexpected. Technology has given to all the ability to express ourselves through images. With the help of affordable tools like cellular phones and photo cameras the internet opens new horizons to people. The continuity of the craft of cinematography is very important because every one might have a pencil to write but this doesn't make him a good writer.

• In 2012 you shot "What If...", the highest-grossing Greek film in recent years. Why did you decide to go with RED and what is your opinion on Digital Cinematography?

Digital cinematography is undoubtedly the future but is also the present of the cinematic language. Film is probably the best media to shoot but digital is gradually and drastically improving. And if you think the benefits on manipulating the recorded image on the set most of the times digital is better.

DIR: C.Papakaliatis | DP: Y.Daskalothanasis
I didn't decide to shoot with RED camera it was an accidental meeting. The production company had access to a RED camera set so the decision was not mine. I had to adapt to this but this was not bad at all. I found the way to work with this camera with the help of experienced crew (Panagiotis Vassilakis, Vassilis Kasvikis and Yiannis Vikias).

The problem with the modern tools is that we don't have time to fall in love with them because they change every day. Before you familiarize yourself with them, new are arriving and those you decided to use a year ago are old. I still have my Aaton film camera which I bought 25 years ago and the only part I have to replace is the film in the magazine.

One very interesting thing about using the digital media is that it resurrected in me the interest of self manipulating the image. There are programs on Pc's to professionally finish the look of your final product at home.

Y.Daskalothanasis, GSC & Director Christopher Papakaliatis
I remember myself working in the darkroom on every detail on the printed paper by manipulating the contrast and exposure digging out the best of my black and white print and I am very satisfied with the fact that I can do the same and even better in digital.

• At the beginning of April, Fuji announced the discontinuation of Motion Picture Film production. Kodak is still making motion picture film and they should be coming out of bankruptcy this year. What is the future of film in general and what does this mean for the industry?

Photochemical technology recorded the face of humanity for two centuries. As the papyrus preserved for thousands of years the spirit of the ancient people, film will preserve also for the next generations the spirit of our era.

Film is human heritage and we have to respect it as such. Just think in the future if there is not a theatre with analog equipment how difficult it would be for someone to have access to all these wonderful films produced in the past.

Digital archiving for the moment is not a safe way to store images for more than 5 years and is more expensive than film which has been proven for more than 100 years. I am sure that the industry will find the way to preserve the digital archives forever but film must be kept for its unique look which represents this period of human history.

• What is your advice to aspiring Cinematographers?

Be in love with visual storytelling and let your passion grow. If you do it for money, to get rich, there are other easier opportunities out there for you.

Visit: Greek Society of Cinematographers
"What if..." BTS stills courtesy of Christos Mavridis
Interview: Alexandros Maragos
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May 23, 2013

Surfing Teahupoo - The Heaviest Wave in the World (Video shot on RED EPIC)

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Fri, 31 May 2013 06:07:22 PDT

Surfing Teahupoo - The Heaviest Wave in the World
Redbull and RED Epic

Surfing Teahupoo - The Heaviest Wave in the World
Redbull brought along their RED Cameras to capture Raimana Van Bastolaer, Maya Gaberia and Carlos Burle as they took on the powerful waves of Teahupo’o, Tahiti. Teahupo’o — which loosely translates to “place of skulls” — was in full force this year and riders across the globe came to catch some of the deadliest waves in the world. Check out this video, shot on EPIC, and watch these brave surfers face some of the Pacific’s most dangerous waters.

Visit: Redbull Serfing
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"Sisa: Cocaine of the Poor". A VICE documentary filmed in Athens, Greece.

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:05:55 PDT

Sisa: Cocaine of the Poor
Vice Full Length Documentary
Sisa: Cocaine of the Poor
"Austerity's Drug of Choice".
Sisa is Destroying the lives
of Athens's Homeless People
A new documentary from VICE investigates "Sisa," a cheap synthetic drug that is destroying the lives of Athens' homeless people. Although little is known about the drug, it is rumored to be a cheap derivative of crystal meth cut with anything from shampoo or cooking salt to battery acid and engine oil.

Charalampos Poulopoulos, director of KETHEA, a government-funded anti drug and rehabilitation organization, says Greece's economic crisis has exacerbated general drug use in the country, and led to sisa's emergence on the market. The nation currently has a 27% unemployment rate — 58% for youth under 25. In a "perfect storm," the economic crisis has also led to a collapse of the health care system, leading to a deficit of treatment centers, methadone clinics and healthcare workers. Addicts who’ve been priced out of using heroin, crack, and crystal meth have increasingly turned to sisa, which costs as little as two euros a hit.

The epidemic is only the latest example in a global trend toward synthetic street drugs, from the skin-eating krokodil in Siberia, to souped-up anti-AIDS meds in South Africa, and to the synthetic craze in North America and the UK. As with most drugs available to the poor, sisa comes with some nasty side effects, including “insomnia, delusions, heart attacks and aggressiveness,” says Poulopoulos. In the video, sisa users describe the drug's damaging effects. "I think it's the worst drug ever" says a man in the video, "You can kill someone and not even realize."

Director/Camera: Nick Ahlmark
Host: Alex Miller
Producer: Elektra Kotsoni
Camera: Henry Langston
Editor: Evelyn Franks
Assistant Editor: Rhiannon Mayor
Exec Producers: Eddy Moretti, Shane Smith, Suroosh Alvi
Exec Producer (UK): Vida Toombs
Head of Content: Alex Miller
Supervising Producer: Al Brown
Production Manager: Bree Horn
Production Coordinator: Becky Joseph
Content Coordinator: Elektra Kotsoni
Post Supervisor: Mike Horlock
Post Coordinators: Ellie King, Mimi Flemming
Translator: Yiannis Baboulias
Music Supervisor: Amy Ashworth
Art Direction: Joel Kitzmiller
Motion Graphics: Bex Rumble
Eq. Manager: Grant Armour
Music: Kandodo
KETHEA ADDICTION HELPLINE: 1145

Visit: VICE
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Star Trek Into Darkness: J.J. Abrams Behind The Scenes and Tech Specs

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:36:01 PDT

Star Trek Into Darkness Complete B-Roll
J.J. Abrams Behind The Scenes

Star Trek Into Darkness: Behind The Scenes

Technical Specifications
Camera:
• IMAX MSM 9802, Hasselblad Lenses
• Iwerks MSM 8870, Hasselblad Lenses
• Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2, Panavision Primo, C-Series, ATZ and AWZ2 Lenses
• Red Epic (some shots)

DI Laboratory:
• Company 3, Los Angeles (CA), USA (digital intermediate).
• Colored by the Founder & President of Company 3, Stefan Sonnenfeld.

Film Length: 3,622 m (8 reels)

Negative Format:
• 35 mm (Kodak Vision3 200T 5213, Vision3 500T 5219)
• 65 mm (horizontal) (Kodak Vision3 200T 5213, Vision3 500T 5219)

Cinematographic Process:
• Digital Intermediate (2K) (master format)
• IMAX (source format) (some scenes)
• Iwerks 8/70 (source format) (some scenes)
• Panavision (anamorphic) (source format)

Printed Film Format:
• 35 mm (Kodak Vision 2383)
• 70 mm (horizontal) (IMAX DMR blow-up) (also dual-strip 3-D) (Kodak Vision 2383)
• D-Cinema (also 3-D version)

About J.J. Abrams (Director/Producer)
J.J. Abrams is the founder and President of Bad Robot Productions, which he runs with his producing partner Bryan Burk. Formed in 2001, Bad Robot is partnered with Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Studios and has produced films and television series such as "Cloverfield," "Star Trek," "Morning Glory," "Super 8," "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol," ABC's "Alias" and "Lost," Fox's "Fringe," and CBS's "Person of Interest."

Born in New York and raised in Los Angeles, Abrams attended Sarah Lawrence College where he co-wrote a treatment that became the basis for Disney's "Taking Care Of Business." In years following, he wrote or co-wrote such films as "Regarding Henry," "Forever Young," "Armageddon," and "Joy Ride."

In 1998, Abrams co-created his first television series "Felicity" with collaborator and long-time friend Matt Reeves. Abrams served as Executive Producer for the series' four-season run on The WB. Additionally, Abrams created and executive produced "Alias" for ABC, and co-created (with Damon Lindelof) and executive produced ABC's "Lost."

In 2006, Abrams directed his first feature film, "Mission: Impossible 3." His second feature directorial effort "Star Trek" was released in May 2009. "Super 8," written and directed by Abrams and produced by Abrams, Burk and Steven Spielberg, was released in June 2011. His most recent feature, the upcoming "Star Trek" sequel, will be released in 2013.

In 2005, Abrams received Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for the "Lost" pilot as well as Outstanding Drama Series for "Lost." He also received Emmy nominations for his "Alias" and "Lost" pilot scripts. In addition, Abrams composed the theme music for "Alias," "Fringe," "Lost," "Person of Interest," and "Revolution," and he co-wrote the theme song for "Felicity." Abrams presently serves as Executive Producer of CBS's "Person of Interest," Fox's "Fringe," and NBC's "Revolution."

About Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC (Cinematographer)
Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC previously worked with J.J. Abrams as director of photography for “Star Trek” and “Mission: Impossible III.” He was born in South Africa and educated in Australia and Britain. He began his career as a cinematographer shooting commercials and working with successful directors, including Ridley Scott, Barry Kinsman, Hugh Johnson and Mike Seresin.

His ads for Tony Scott include memorable commercials for such clients as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Miller Coors and Marlboro. Mindel served as director of photography on Tony Scott’s film "Domino," Iain Softley’s "The Skeleton Key," "Tooth Fairy," "Stuck on You" and "Shanghai Noon," among many others. He was responsible for the photography on the West Coast unit of "G.I. Jane" and for the additional photography on "The Bourne Identity" and Tony Scott’s "The Fan."

"Enemy of the State" marked his debut as the sole director of photography on a major motion picture. Mindel also served as director of photography on Kate Hudson’s short film "Cutlass." He most recently shot Oliver Stone’s "Savages" and Andrew Stanton’s "John Carter."

Visit: Star Trek Into Darkness
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Interview: J.J. Abrams On Filmmaking

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Mon, 20 May 2013 04:54:24 PDT

J.J. Abrams: On Filmmaking
BAFTA Guru

J.J. Abrams: On Filmmaking
BAFTA Guru sat down for an interview with J.J. Abrams. J.J. Abrams (Star Trek Into Darkness, Super 8, Armageddon, Mission: Impossible III, Lost, Alias, etc) fills us in on balancing intimacy with hyperreality, why TV leaves room for surprises and the best advice he's ever been given.

Visit: BAFTA Guru
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The Music of Star Trek Into Darkness

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Mon, 20 May 2013 00:33:59 PDT

The Music of Star Trek Into Darkness
SoundWorks Collection

The Music of Star Trek Into Darkness
Exclusive SoundWorks Collection Profile with the Music Conductor and Orchestrator Tim Simonec on the 20th Century Fox Newman Scoring stage for Director J.J. Abram's new film Star Trek Into Darkness.

For years, Tim Simonec has been one of the busiest orchestrators in Hollywood. He has orchestrated and conducted over 70 feature films and 25 television series. He has also composed the music for the feature film A Rumor of Angels and Anne Frank: The Whole Story, which won an Emmy for best mini-series.

He has worked with Graeme Revell since 1991 as his orchestrator and conductor.Some of their films together are Pineapple Express, Daredevil, The Negotiator, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. In 1996, he began working with composer Chris Tyng. Their projects together included kazaam, The Associate, and the TV series Futurama. Since 1997, Tim has been working with Michael Giacchino as his conductor and orchestrator/arranger. Over the years their projects have included video games such as Medal of Honor, Call of Duty; TV series, Alias, LOST, Fringe; and films, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, The Family Stone, Mission Impossible 3, Star Trek, UP, and most recently, Super 8, Cars 2, MI4: Ghost Protocol, and John Carter. For his arrangement of the end-titles of UP, Tim was nominated for a Grammy.

Tim was born and raised in Chicago...making him, to this day, a die-hard Cubs, Bears, and Blackhawks fan. He began playing the organ and piano at age 8, and became the church organist at the ripe old age of 12! Despite his teen years at the keyboards, he chose to study theology in college. And while his intent was to become a minister, his love of music was a constant in his life. He arranged music for orchestra during college, and after graduation, Tim was hired to write a theme for a local television program. The moment he heard studio musicians play his composition, he realized his passion and career would be music.

Although Tim decided to pursue a career in film composition, ironically, he did so by writing the scores for 40 religious films. While recording music for a religious documentary in London in 1979, recording engineer Eric Tomlinson (Star Wars, Superman) was impressed with Tim's composition and encouraged him to make the move to Los Angeles. Soon after arriving in LA, Tim was hired to compose music for Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and Family Ties.

All was moving along well until March of 1984. After experiencing debilitating numbness in his hands and a painful, stiff neck, Tim was diagnosed with a tumor on his cervical spinal cord. The operation to remove the tumor resulted in Tim becoming a quadriplegic. He was told he would never walk again. After thousands of prayers, the support and love of the woman who became his wife, and great determination, Tim learned to walk again. In medical terms, he is that rare phenomenon, a walking quadriplegic. He also regained partial use of his hands and is able to conduct orchestras.

Tim's days at the keyboard were over but he knew he could compose, hopefully with the newest technology...the Apple computer! In 1986, he returned to pursue his passion and career in film music, which he continues to this day.

Visit: SoundWorks Collection | Star Trek Into Darkness

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Steven Soderbergh: State of Cinema

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:34:24 PDT

Steven Soderbergh: State of Cinema
San Francisco International Film Festival

Steven Soderbergh on the State of Cinema
On April 27, 2013, Steven Soderbergh spoke at the San Francisco International Film Festival on the "State of Cinema". The entire 40min talk is engaging and worth watching. Due to great demand, Steven Soderbergh has given The San Francisco Film Society permission to release the above video that was recorded initially only for archival purposes. The full transcript is also provided on the SF Film Society Blog.

Transcript - Brief Excerpt:
First of all, is there a difference between cinema and movies? Yeah. If I were on Team America, I’d say “Fuck yeah!” [laughter] The simplest way that I can describe it is that a movie is something you see, and cinema is something that’s made. It has nothing to do with the captured medium, it doesn’t have anything to do with the where the screen is, if it’s in your bedroom, your iPad—it doesn’t even really have to be a movie: it could be a commercial, it could be something on YouTube. Cinema is a specificity of vision, it’s an approach in which everything matters. It’s the polar opposite of generic or arbitrary and the result is as unique as a signature or a fingerprint. It isn’t made by a committee, and it isn’t made by a company, and it isn’t made by the audience. It means that if this filmmaker didn’t do it, it either wouldn’t exist at all, or it wouldn’t exist in anything like this form.

So, that means you can take a perfectly solid, successful and acclaimed movie and it may not qualify as cinema. It also means you can take a piece of cinema and it may not qualify as a movie—it may actually be an unwatchable piece of shit. [laughter] But, as long as you have filmmakers out therewho have that specific point of view, then cinema is never going to disappear completely. Because it’s not about money, it’s about good ideas followed up by a well-developed aesthetic. I love all this new technology, it’s great. It’s smaller, lighter, faster, you can make a really good-looking movie for not a lot of money, and when people start to get weepy about celluloid, I think of this quote by Orson Welles when someone was talking to him about new technology, which he tended to embrace, and he said: “I don’t want to wait on the tool, I want the tool to wait for me,” which I thought was a good way to put it. But the problem is that cinema as I define it, and as something that inspired me, is under assault by the studios and, from what I can tell, with the full support of the audience. The reasons for this, in my opinion, are more economic than philosophical, but when you add an ample amount of fear and a lack of vision, and a lack of leadership, you’ve got a trajectory that I think is pretty difficult to reverse.

Now, of course, it’s very subjective—there are going to be exceptions to everything I’m going to say, and I’m just saying that so no one thinks I’m talking about them [laughter]. I want to be clear: the idea of cinema as I’m defining it is not on the radar in the studios. It’s not a conversation anybody’s having; it’s not a word you would ever want to use in a meeting. Speaking of meetings, the meetings have gotten pretty weird. There are fewer and fewer executives who are in the business because they love movies. There are fewer and fewer executives that know movies. So it can become a very strange situation. I meab, I know how to drive a car, but I wouldn’t presume to sit in a meeting with an engineer and tell him how to build one, which is what you feel like when you’re in these meetings. You’ve got people who don’t know movies, don’t watch movies for pleasure, deciding what movie you’re going to be allowed to make. That’s one reason studio movies aren’t better than they are, and that’s one reason that cinema, as I’m defining it, is shrinking.

Well, how does a studio decide what movies get made? One thing they take into consideration is the foreign market, obviously. It’s become very big. So that means, you know, things that travel best are going to be action-adventure, science fiction, fantasy, spectacle, some animation thrown in there. Obviously the bigger the budget, the more people this thing is going to have to appeal to—the more homogenized it’s got to be, the more simplified it’s got to be. So things like cultural specificity and narrative complexity, and, god forbid,ambiguity [laughter], those become real obstacles to the success of the film here and abroad.

Visit: The San Francisco Film Society for the full transcript.
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Technicolor Color Assist Adds Adobe After Effects Support

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Tue, 14 May 2013 02:32:21 PDT

Technicolor Color Assist Adds Adobe After Effects Support
Technicolor Color Assist 1.5

Technicolor Adds Adobe After Effects Support to Color Assist. New Version Adds Powerful Tools for Fast, Professional Results, Plus a New Fully Functional Trial Version.

Paris (France) & Hollywood (CA) – May 14, 2013 – Technicolor announced the latest version of Technicolor Color Assist its video color correction and grading software package. Key improvements of version 1.5 include compatibility with Adobe® After Effects® and support for AVCHD video and still images, meeting the needs of an ever-expanding universe of creative artists.

Color Assist 1.5 draws on Technicolor’s deep heritage in color science to bring powerful studio color grading and color correction to users who want professional-quality results. Adobe After Effects is the preeminent visual effects and motion graphics software, and AVCHD is one of the most popular prosumer video formats. Both groups will benefit greatly from the powerful, yet simple-to-use tools in Color Assist.

“The professional post-production tools Adobe offers enables our customers to create high-quality productions. Now Color Assist 1.5 builds on its existing support for Adobe Premiere® Pro by adding compatibility with Adobe After Effects, therefore giving the post-production community more choices in the tools they use in their workflow,” said Simon Williams, Director of Strategic Relations at Adobe. “Creative professionals are always squeezed for time, and Color Assist 1.5 is quick and powerful.”

Version 1.5 also includes important workflow improvements that make it easier than ever to learn and use. ”Color Assist 1.5 is proof of our ongoing commitment to work with our partners, such as Adobe, and to help video creators realize their artistic vision,” said Alejandro Guerrero, Senior Vice President, General Manager of Technicolor CineStyle. “Over the past five months we’ve listened intently to our customers and responded with a plethora of enhancements – like our Pixelmeter, improved bin and browser navigation, and workspace customization – that improve efficiency and expand creative options.”

Color Assist 1.5 is currently available for both Mac and PC users and supports a growing list of video production suites, including Final Cut Pro 7, Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 & higher, and now Adobe After Effects. The company is committed to making Color Assist available to an even broader user base, and is working closely with its partners to ensure that Color Assist will support the most popular video editing platforms as they continue to evolve on the desktop and in the Cloud.

Pricing & Availability

Color Assist is available for purchase this week with support for Adobe Premiere Pro CC, After Effects CS 5.5 & higher, Final Cut Pro 7, and Final Cut Pro X on Mac OS and Windows for $99 USD at technicolorcinestyle.com. Existing users can receive a free update that includes Adobe After Effects support and all the new enhancements of version 1.5, and new users can download a free, fully functional 14-day trial of Color Assist. Additional Color Assist Looks packages can be purchased for $19 USD and include 10 additional custom-created Looks per package.

Thanks: John Snedigar (Technicolor)
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Audi X Factor Shoot by Bill Bennett, ASC

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:45:26 PDT

Audi X Factor Shoot
Shot by Bill Bennett, ASC

This gorgeous Black & White Audi A6 footage was shot by cinematographer Bill Bennett, ASC at Inyokern Airport in California on an ARRI ALEXA camera currently in testing phase (prototype) that is only sensitive to light in the infrared part of the spectrum, with wavelengths longer than 800 nanometers.

The images were recorded to a Codex on-board recorder in ARRIRAW format which was converted with ARRIRAW Converter (ARC) software, optimized for the monochrome infrared images. Lenses: ARRI/ZEISS 12mm Ultra Prime, Angenieux Optimo 17-80mm zoom.

Michael Rodriguez was the Producer and Production Coordinator. Ryan Correll was the Editor. Robin Charters was the First Camera Assistant. Jon and Marshall Chabot provided the most excellent Porsche Panamera high speed arm car from their company Chase Car, Inc. fitted with the Scorpio arm and head. Gilbert Alvarado was the Scorpio head tech.

Flynn Baglin did the excellent precision driving of the Audi A6. Katherine Beer was both the DIT and lovely actress. Support for the IR Alexa came from Arri, Burbank and Fred Molina. Editing was done with Final Cut Pro 7, and color correction was done with FCP "Color".

Music: "Andromeda" by Pavel Dovgal

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Hermann Vaske "Balkan Spirit" doc feat. Angelina Jolie and Marina Abramović

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Tue, 14 May 2013 04:37:50 PDT

Balkan Spirit
Hermann Vaske

Recently i had the pleasure of shooting for Mr.Hermann Vaske the Greek parts of his new documentary "Balkan Spirit" about the creative landscape of the region.

The documentary features actress Angelina Jolie and world-renowned performance artist Marina Abramović. Musicians like Baba Zula, Goran Bregović and the Boban i Marko Marković Orchestra. YouTube artist Jelena Petosevic and legendary filmmakers like Dušan Makavejev.

Directors as diverse as Jasmila Žbanić and Emir Kusturica. And scientists like Croatian astronomer Korado Korlević. Finally, representing young creatives Hermann Vaske talked to artists like Flaka Haliti and Želimir Barić.

Philosopher Slavoj Žižek takes us along a rollercoaster ride through the creative world of the Balkans. It is an exploration of the various facets of creativity: cultural, philosophical, political and artistic.

Angelina Jolie during her interview on Balkan Spirit
All in all, Balkan Spirit shows that after decades of war and destruction, a new creative renaissance is happening in the region. The young creatives are doing their own thing and don’t want to be put in boxes. They are eager to destroy the outside views and prejudices of the West and find a new fresh creativity outside the box.

Marina Abramović during her interview on Balkan Spirit
The Balkans is a European region that lives and breathes creativity. Despite the picture that the media presents, the Balkans offers the world a surprisingly fresh and passionate creativity.

The film by director and producer Hermann Vaske premiered at the 32nd Istanbul International Film Festival and will be broadcasted by Arte, the European Cultural Channel, later this year.

Visit: Hermann Vaske

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First-Ever Music Video from Space: Chris Hadfield - "Space Oddity"

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Mon, 13 May 2013 02:28:58 PDT

Chris Hadfield - Space Oddity
First-Ever Music Video from Space

First-Ever Music Video from Space
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield is scheduled to make his return trip to Earth late Monday after five months aboard the International Space Station, and he decided to commemorate his final hours in space with a spectacular music video.

Hadfield covers David Bowie's classic (and incredibly appropriate) song "Space Oddity." In the video, he sings a "revised version" of the song and plays the guitar solo while floating on board the International Space Station. Not only is Hadfield brilliant and fearless, he's also a great singer.

During his time at the space station, Hadfield has won plenty of fans by tweeting and posting videos about what it's like to live for so long in space.

Visit: Chris Hadfield | ISS

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David Bowie "The Next Day" music video Directed by Floria Sigismondi

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:09:04 PDT

David Bowie - The Next Day
Directed by Floria Sigismondi

David Bowie - The Next Day by Floria Sigismondi
David Bowie's 'The Next Day' music video stars Academy Award winning French actress, Marion Cotillard, and Academy Award nominee and BAFTA Award winner, English actor, filmmaker and musician Gary Oldman.

Oldman and Bowie have worked together previously on the 1996 biopic Basquiat, wherein Bowie played Basquiat's friend and mentor, Andy Warhol, and Oldman took the role of fellow painter, Julian Schnabel. The pair also provided vocals on versions of two Bowie songs (You've Been Around and The King of Stamford Hill), on Reeves Gabrels' 1995 solo album, The Sacred Squall of Now.

Floria Sigismondi (Black Dog Films), the brilliant director of Little Wonder, Strangers When We Meet and the last Bowie video, The Stars (Are Out Tonight), was behind the camera again for The Next Day.

"The Next Day" sees the Black Dog director staging a blood-soaked bacchanal at a brothel while a Christ-like Bowie performs on stage in priestly vestments.

Gary Oldman plays a violent clergyman dirty-dancing with a scantily clad Marion Cotillard. We see the debauchery around them through visions of religious hypocrisy and vice: nudity, prostitution, gory flagellation and disembodied eyeballs – before Marion suddenly begins to bleed from stigmata marks.

As the blood pours out of her, the less-than-pious group turns to Bowie and condemns him for the scene at hand. The theatrical video closes with Bowie breaking through the fourth wall, giving a meta shout-out to the A-listers, “Thank you, Gary. Thank you, Marion,” before he vanishes from the biblical scene.

The feather-ruffling, sacred-gone-sinful film confirms that we never know what surprises are to come when the brilliant minds of Sigismondi and Bowie get together. A creative collaboration between the two visionaries means we can only expect one thing for sure: to be transfixed by provocative, cinematic visuals that will keep the world talking.

Written and conceived by David Bowie, the film was created as a companion piece to the song lyric.

The video was briefly taken off YouTube with a screenshot stating it was removed because "its content violated YouTube's terms of service.” The video was later restored to the site but viewing is restricted to people ages 18 and older.

Visit: David Bowie | Floria Sigismondi | Black Dog Films

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Canon 5D Mark III Firmware Version 1.2.1 with Uncompressed HDMI Output

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 04:03:44 PDT

Canon 5D Mark III Firmware Version 1.2.1
Uncompressed HDMI Output

New Firmware Update For the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Provides Uncompressed HDMI Output Support And Improved AF Performance.

Canon U.S.A. released today the new firmware update 1.2.1 for the EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR camera that significantly improves the camera's performance and usability. In response to requests from professionals working in the fields of cinema and television production, the firmware update enables the use of uncompressed HDMI Output support, making possible more efficient video editing and monitoring procedures. Additionally, the upgrade supports the advanced needs of photographers through improved AF performance when capturing still images.

Uncompressed HDMI Output Support
When shooting video, HDMI Output makes possible the recording of high-definition uncompressed video data (YCbCr 4:2:2, 8 bit) from the EOS 5D Mark III to an external recorder via the camera's HDMI terminal. This, in turn, facilitates the editing of video data with minimal image degradation for greater on-site workflow efficiency during motion picture and video productions. Additionally, video being captured can be displayed on an external monitor, enabling real-time, on-site monitoring of high-definition video during shooting.

Improved AF Functionality
Even when the EOS 5D Mark III is equipped with an extender and lens making possible a maximum aperture of f/8, the firmware update supports AF employing the camera's central cross-type points (currently compatible with maximum apertures up to f/5.6). Accordingly, the update will allow users to take advantage of AF when shooting distant subjects, benefitting sports and nature photographers, particularly when using telephoto lenses.

Firmware Version 1.2.1 improvements
1. Uncompressed HDMI output is now enabled.

2. Enables the center AF point to autofocus when the camera is used with Canon EF lens/extender combinations whose combined maximum aperture is f/8.

3. Improves the speed of the camera's acquisition of focus when using a Canon Speedlite's AF-assist beam.

4. Fixes a phenomenon in which the LCD monitor may freeze and display Err 70 or Err 80 when a still photo is taken during Live View or in movie shooting mode.

5. Fixes a phenomenon that may occur when the continuous shooting priority setting is enabled for multiple exposures, such that, after the sixth image is taken, there is a slight pause before the remainder of the sequence is completed.

6. Fixes a phenomenon in which the viewfinder display shows incorrect information during AEB shooting.

7. Communication with the WFT-E7 Wireless File Transmitter has been improved.

8. When images have been successfully transferred with the WFT-E7 Wireless File Transmitter through the FTP protocol, an "O" will be displayed. When images have not been successfully transferred with the WFT-E7 Wireless File Transmitter through the FTP protocol, an "X" will be displayed.

9. Fixes a phenomenon in which the camera may not function properly when an Eye-Fi card is used.

10. Fixes a phenomenon in which the focal length value listed in the Exif information is not displayed correctly for images shot with the EF 24-70mm F4L IS USM lens.

11. Fixes a phenomenon in which the lens firmware cannot be updated properly.

12. Corrects errors in the Arabic language menu.

13. Fixes a phenomenon in which the camera changes the AF microadjustment value to -8.

14. Fixes a phenomenon in which the on-screen guidance cannot be fully displayed when setting the maximum limit value for the "Setting the ISO Speed Range for Auto ISO" option.

Download: Canon 5D Mark III Firmware Update 1.2.1

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The Sound and Music of Oblivion

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandros Maragos) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 02:41:36 PDT

The Sound and Music of Oblivion
SoundWorks Collection

The Sound and Music of Oblivion
SoundWorks Collection talk with visionary Director Joe Kosinski about the sound and music of his new film Oblivion. Also featured are Kosinski's behind-the-scenes collaborators include Composer Joseph Trapanese, M83's Anthony Gonzalez, and Re-recording Mixer Gary Rizzo, and Re-recording Mixer Juan Peralta.

Tom Cruise stars in Oblivion, an original and groundbreaking cinematic event from the visionary director of TRON: Legacy and producers of Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

On a spectacular future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, one man's confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind.

2077: Jack Harper (Cruise) serves as a security repairmen stationed on an evacuated Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying alien threat who still scavenges what's left of our planet, Jack's mission is almost complete.

In a matter of two weeks, he will join the remaining survivors on a lunar colony far from the war-torn world he has long called home. Living in and patrolling the breathtaking skies from thousands of feet above, Jack's soaring existence is brought crashing down after he rescues a beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft.

Drawn to Jack through a connection that transcends logic, her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he thought he knew.

With a reality that is shattered as he discovers shocking truths that connect him to Earth of the past, Jack will be pushed to a heroism he didn't know he contained within. The fate of humanity now rests solely in the hands of a man who believed our world was soon to be lost forever.

Visit: SoundWorks Collection | Oblivion

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