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Filed under: Cameras •

Everything is Amazing (and Nobody is Happy)

Over at CanonFilmmakers, I ran across a good post that tries to inject a little perspective in all the technical discussions on VDSLRs, Red, and really filmmaking tools in general. The author links a (hilarious) Louis CK video clip in which Louis does a little bit about everything in life being amazing, yet nobody is happy. There’s a clear correlation to filmmakers and gear discussion. We have amazing tools at a fraction of the cost of of previous generations, yet we still want more. We tend to get bogged down in the technical minutiae of each system, and sometimes can’t see the storytelling forest for the trees. Paul Zadie wrote a good post on this a couple of months ago…

At FreshDV, we’ve always been interested in reporting the technical. We talk about it all the time, because we are a geek’s geek. Ubergeeks even. We dig this stuff. It’s information that filmmakers should be aware of (like VDSLR moiré  issues). But perspective is always good. As we always say…it’s just another tool. Use the right tool for the job, but most of all, use it. At any rate, these sort of posts are good reminders that the best tools in the world aren’t going to tell your story for you. A great story captured with subpar gear still trumps the best equipment used to tell a weak story (see: Michael Bay).

Here’s an excerpt from that post over at Canon Filmmakers. I recommend checking it out, in addition to this little rant he offers some good tips on getting the most out of the Canon 7D:

“We need to master our craft and get back to the basics. Shot composition and storytelling. I plan on working on those two myself. Be thankful for the amazing technology we have at our disposal and stop whining like a bunch of spoiled children.

Aliasing,WAHHHH. Moire,WAHHHH. 12 minute limit WAHHH, No Audio Control WAHHHHHHH. What do you want Canon to give you for $1700 ? Should it come with your own personal DOP to set all the shots up for you too? Do you remember what it took a few short years ago to get this type of look for a film? It would have been impossible to do what you can now for this type of money.

So, instead of this RED vs. the Canon DSLR civil war that is erupting in the filmmaking community, How about this ? Take whatever equipment it is that you have the good fortune of owning and go shoot something amazing. Let your limitations be your inspiration.”

After that little diatribe, I wanted to point out a recent thread over at Reduser that deals with Zone Chart tests showing aliasing issues with the 7D and the Red One. Obviously the Red performed much much better in that area, there is no doubt that it is a far better cinema camera than the 7D from a specs perspective. But I was struck by the surprising lack of fanboy “yeah, get ‘em” responses in the thread…most people seemed to understand that these VDSLRs are flawed, yet useful tools in certain applications. It was a breath of fresh air, really.

One last final note in closing…the everything is amazing rant is timely and on-target. We should all be aware that this is a good time to be a filmmaker, from a tools perspective. But there are so many valid reasons to point out weaknesses in gear…it is part of the creative process, and not to be pushed aside. Understanding what a tool can and can’t accomplish is critical for experienced filmmakers, particularly those who need a specific function or capability to capture their creative vision. So let’s not pooh pooh those discussions on technicalities, they are important and not to be marginalized. Instead, we should approach these discussions with a broader realization of just how amazing it is to be a filmmaker today. Happy filmmaking!

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Agreed, we all get distracted by the tech every now and then and need to make sure to re-focus on what’s important.  Whenever people get into a heated discussion about why camera X isn’t good enough I always think about the indie flick called November which won best cinematography at Sundance a few years ago and it was shot on a DVX100.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  12/22  at  02:19 PM

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When my friends and I were maybe 12 or 13 yrs. old, we wanted to make movies (inspired by the James Bond flicks mostly). Back then our only options were my father’s Kodak 8mm film camera. You had to buy the film, shoot the film, and wait for it to come back to the lab hoping it would look OK. Then you had the laborious job of editing it (cut, snip, glue). Even in high school after the age of video arived, the camera / deck units weighed 40 or 50 pounds and were expensive enough that most adults wouldn’t let a kid anywhere near them. By the time NLE appeared and became cheap enough for us amateurs, we were all in our late thirty’s or early forties and had moved on in life to other responsibilities - real jobs, families, etc. and no longer had time to make films. Sometimes I wonder what we could have done as kids with what’s available today. Then I watch our old films and am amazed at the imagination and the way we were able to coax the most out of what we had to work with at the time.
The bottom line is that it’s everything but the equipment that’s important for film makers. I’d rather watch a b/w classic from the old days than some over hyped film made these days. I’ll take story and substance over flashy technology any day.
    Brett

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  12/22  at  03:25 PM

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I have to agree with the author on this one. I got a great response from a little micro-budget short I shot on a cell phone! I took advantage of the picture’s “degraded” qualities to emphasize a dream-like look. You can check it out if you like:

http://vimeo.com/1649221

p.s. I do have a Red.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  12/23  at  12:15 PM

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