Additionally, I read through a digital cinema and mastering textbook (well, more of a primer I think), mostly regurgitated DCI and SMPTE info from ‘07 by the chair of the DCI- it’s (as expected) a rather technical subject matter with lots of 3×3 matrices, and algebraic computations. But here are some random things I found interesting and educational:

• How young the entire digital process is as a whole- (2005/2006- most films) Implementation of digital really took hold in the late 90’s.
• JPEG2000 is the DCDM Master Codec at 12bit 2K or 4K resolution.
• The color space of digital cinema is X,Y,Z with chromaticity coordinates [0.314 x, 0.3561 y] or about 6300K
• The human eye is very sensitive to hue shifts but easily adaptable to white point differences
• 12bit encoding is needed to encode luminance changes below the threshold of luminance visibility. 11Bits is actually closer to the curve of the human vision modulation threshold. (more in SMPTE Journal 113.9, Sept. 2004)
• A gamma of 2.6 matches the human visual modulation curve relatively well (although not exact).
• That much more impressed with what RED is trying to do (4K NEGATIVE)
• 65MM highest quality scan is 6K.

Yes, that’s one of those rad old newspaper ad tables I found for $20 at a consignment store and no, that monitor is not what I’ll be using regularly.

It rather a rush job so being I’m in Ae I didn’t duplicate my layers and apply seperate masking corrections (aka: “windows”- Ae doesn’t actually window that well…or at all ) Anyway, Color Finesse’s primary and secondary adjustments only.

I hereby blame lack of windows for my lack of look satisfaction (boy that was easy.)

Outdoor Before

Outdoor After

Indoor Before

Indoor After

• Working on deals to grade and finish two feature films in HD.

• Looking at two upcoming projects- a feature doc and a couple more non-profit shorts.

• Script development on a short film series to begin this fall.

• Further conversation with two series producers about involvement.

• Studio build-out: working on projector calibrations and shopping for plasmas. Then the process of treating and furninshing.

• Investigating ways to get further involved in the local community- including working with under-privileged kids to cast a vision for creativity and filmmaking even on the smallest of budgets and basic of tools.

• Planning trips to NYC, DC, LA and Chattanooga- one of those to screen the latest documentary Unheralded now in edit and moving to online shortly.

Oh yeah…and still working on getting that darned website up and going…

Cheers!

~ JR

@jonmckee: “Cinematographers should concern themselves with how to paint a scene with light and compose shots to tell a story.”

@benjeckstein: “I would say they should concern themselves with it, but not more than the more important tools/techniques in their craft.”

@salah_baker: “What Jon said”

@renatoghio: “DPs should be asking where the final product will end up & then make a decision about the codec.”

@ChristianGlawe: “Yes, primarily due to market considerations (producers may not want to hire you if you have “lossy” camera system).”

@humangobo: “Absolutely. Ultimately depends what’s being filmed (sometimes they’re just thrown a cam). But codec is an important factor, IMO”

What do you think? And why?

The advent of Resolve for Mac simply promoted me to get things I needed anyway- CUDA acceleration and better GFX power in Adobe, playout and monitoring in Adobe and Nuendo. All things I can use when that software moves out of beta into public consumption.

I got everything installed and running in a few minutes. Then went about updating everything and playing around with features and controls. I also got an HDLinkPro3D to round out my monitoring capabilities. That’s one COOL box incidentally.

After spending several hours calibrating all my monitors (and offsetting my HDLink monitor via LUTs for Rec.709 standards), I got around to checking out the Decklink in every app I use. I know it’s not working in Avid *yet* so I didn’t bother to test that- in addition, I tested all of it with my online codec: Cineform.

Premiere? Check
After Effects? Check
Neundo? Check (with photojpeg vs. Cineform).
Driver conflicts with my RME card? None. Check.

Wow. Really? I went round and round and round issues with my Blackmagic Intensity Pro and Matrox boxes. This setup with all my apps was issue free. Crazy cool.

What about filmmakers?

For instance, how record labels pick up bands. Rarely is it the new band out of nowhere. It’s typically a band that’s slowly over the years built up a steady and strong following, growing their fan-base with each new record. They write their songs, record them, book gigs, play shows, sell records and merch and people get to hear about them.

But for every 1 band on a label there’s 100 bands making money doing what they love.

If there’s one thing I say way too often it’s that it does you no good to make a film and have nobody watch it. I did some stints in the music scene so I end up approaching my filmmaking like an indie band: write film (“write” being loose in doc world), make film, set up a booking or “screening”. Sometimes there is no screening- it’s just online or it’s for a very select audience I know will enjoy it.

It works, each film is a success and with each new person watching, my audience is slowly being built. But unlike the stereotypical filmmaker who shoots for the big budget, career-making movie and is then let down because it flops, I’m shooting to make good films. 5, 10, 45, 90 minutes. Whatever.

And you should do the same.

Read this article from the New York Times and then ask yourself, how hard is it to call a few small theatres, pubs, libraries, art museums and have a film screening of my last 10 minute short?

Go indie style and perhaps, someone will come to you and say you’re worth the investment because you know how to get it done and make it happen- like a good indie band.