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December 1997, Week 1

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Sender:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:
From:
Michael Sime <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 26 Nov 1997 05:24:16 -0500
Reply-To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (57 lines)
>This is a tricky question, one that I'd love to get to the bottom of, but as
>a filmmaker and film crew member, I would say that boom problems occur in
the
>shooting.  No matter how inept the projectionist, if the filmmakers knew
what
>they were doing, the boom wouldn't be in the frame at all (one of the
reasons
>being that they know that projectionists can screw up.)  So, judging from
the
>available evidence, it looks like somebody screwed up badly on the ICE STORM
>set, and probably won't be finding work any time soon.
 
Ok, My turn. Me being a Crew Dog myself, AND actually had the pleasure of
spending a day on the ICE STORM set in Ct. last year (I did the video of
the Weather forecaster lady....ooooooo!).
 
When you look in the viewfinder of a 35mm camera (Panavision, Arri,
Aaton) you see a (usually) 3 frames. 1) the ENTIRE field of view 2) a
"pumpkin", or safe area frame line designating ACADEMY aspect ratio
(1.85) 3) NTSC/TV (3:4).
 
now, TECHNICALLY, anything OUTSIDE the lines should not even make it to a
final print, but, things being what they are, yadda, yadda, yadda...well,
if someone tries to get fancy, stuff leaks through, and they figure it
won't show in the projection. Obviously this is incorrect, and they
SHOULD have masked the final print so that there is no slop, and more
importantly, no chance that the mic or light that HAD to be in that
position will be seen by the audience (kinda ruins the willful suspension
of disbelief). Video has similar 'safe area' problems. The cameras shoot
more than the average TV will 'see' BUT the image that I see on MY TV
will be different from YOUR TV simply because they're different units.
Therefore -I- never allow anything in my frame that I don't want the
audience to see. I watch on 'underscan' which shows the ENTIRE frame to
ensure this. I do the same thing on film shoots. Screw the pumpkin-I
can't control the projection (and often, the processing & transfer) so I
must do everything I can to make it idiot proof. The DP on ICE STORM
should have done the same. One shouldn't assume that the print house or
the projectionist is gonna do their job right (unfortunately). We all
know what happens when one assumes now, don't we?
 
Mike
 
-----------------------------------------
Michael Sime         <[log in to unmask]>
Video Schmideo!      <[log in to unmask]>
-----------------------------------------
    <http://www.videoschmideo.com>
-----------------------------------------
It's not the time it takes to take the takes,
it's the time it takes BETWEEN the takes,
that takes the time to take the takes.
-----------------------------------------
 
----
Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the
University of Alabama.

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