Year: 2024

         Epoch making?  Really?         After several readings of this short article from the November 1923 issue of American Cinematographer, I’m still not sure what Gaudio’s process entailed.  It supposedly rendered a convincing day-for-night effect, but in a proprietary stroke the piece fails to deliver much useful information.  We learn that the Schenck organization thought … Continue reading “BUT WHAT EXACTLY DID IT DO?”

         Let’s be clear regarding a painful fact: Leslie Stevens’ Incubus is a terrible movie.  Everything about it is awful.  Even for a cheap horror film, it’s shoddy, pretentious, nonsensical and – worst of all – boring.  It doesn’t warrant expounding upon, but I will note that it’s one of the weirdest films I’ve ever … Continue reading “INCUBUS (1966)”

         I haven’t posted one of these in quite some time but the theme is worth reviving, so here goes…          Whether you’re prepping, shooting or sitting on the couch plotting your next move, turn every idea you come up with completely on its head.  What that means is, within the context of what you’re … Continue reading “STUDENT QUICK TIP #23”

         Since I’m currently shooting in Canada, this ad stood out as I was leafing through old issues of American Cinematographer while trying to fall asleep the other night.  Featured in the April 1974 edition, its blatantly sexist approach to selling motion picture equipment was not uncommon at the time.  But don’t put the knock … Continue reading “IT WASN’T COOL, EVEN THEN”

         We all know Ed Lachman, ASC as a superb, Oscar-nominated cinematographer, but he has directed some entertaining films as well.  Last August, I was fortunate to see one of them at the appropriately named Rockaway Film Festival, in Rockaway Beach, NY.  This 1984 documentary – titled Report From Hollywood – serves as a light-hearted … Continue reading “AN OBSCURITY RETURNS”

         This Todd-AO camera is among the newest additions to the ASC’s collection of historically significant items.  Generously donated by multi-Oscar winner and special effects legend Richard Edlund, ASC, it’s in pristine condition and is a fascinating relic of a time when Hollywood’s studios were doing their best to think big.          Dating back to … Continue reading “THE CAMERA THAT ALMOST WRECKED A STUDIO”

         Earlier this year I photographed a short film for Chaos Group, a special effects software company with offices located around the world.  Its purpose was to demonstrate the efficacy of Project Arena, a new fully ray-traced virtual production technology that reduces the time needed to put an image on the LED volume from days … Continue reading “RAY TRACING FOR THE WIN”

         When I think about motion picture cameras, the first models that come to mind are probably the same ones that occur to you – Arriflex, Panavision, Red, Sony, etc.  The usual suspects.  Go back in time a little and you might mention Mitchell, whose ad below makes me feel like a total rookie.  I … Continue reading “HOW DID I MISS THIS ONE?”