cinema5D and Olympus Europe are proud to present the 5th out of six episodes of Perspectives on Filmmaking: a discussion between leading filmmakers who endorse working with compact tools in their film productions. This time: is too much technology enabling or preventing creativity? In case you missed the first episode, please watch it by clicking here, the 2nd one here, the 3rd one here and the 4th one here. Does too much technology prevent us from doing things? We start off this segment by talking about how overwhelmingly overused some pieces of technology are in filmmaking when they come out – Steve Won mentions the omnipresence of sliders when they were first released. Janne Amunet and Florian Lein mention how limitations actually make you better. As Janne points out, when advanced technology becomes available to everyone in the future, the only thing that will make you stand out from the rest will be your skills. I threw in how more equipment actually slows you down, and how more gear often means shooting less and missing more opportunities to produce content. Smaller cameras are definitely more versatile in terms of how fast they can be deployed and where you can shoot. Noaz Deshe points out how larger crews and bigger resources make you slow – unless you move onto REALLY big sets where also big cameras can float around. Florian adds that the same is true for post production: a lot of people neglect it and don’t see how heavier files slow everything down massively, often without any additional benefit for those kinds of productions. Janne mentions the importance of having a good plan when shooting: limitations and proper planning can actually make you much more creative, and help you build a film language. “If you have a plan, you can improvise.” Steve Won mentions his experience with shooting on film in film school, and how much it forced him to plan a shoot meticulously. Stay tuned for the next and final segment of Perspectives on Filmmaking coming next week, where we will discuss the future of filmmaking technology and the future of each of the guest filmmakers at the table. 

cinema5D together with Olympus Europe is proud to present the 4th out of six episodes of “Perspectives on Filmmaking”. A discussion between leading filmmakers who endorse working with compact tools in their film productions. This time: Are film festivals still relevant, and how can you find your audience?  In case you missed the first episode, please watch it by clicking here, the 2nd one here and the 3rd one here. Finding an Audience for Your Films In the beginning we are talking about how to actually find an audience for your films in this day and age – is it not enough anymore to be a good filmmaker, what do we (filmmakers) have to do to stick out of the crowd. Noaz Deshe thinks that good content – if you do your best – will find its audience automatically. Dirk Wilutzky says mass audiences aren’t important – it should just find the audience it’s intended for, and you can help by making the best film you can. He thinks that surrounding structures should do the marketing work, filmmakers should be able to focus on the filmmaking alone. Noaz thinks the film needs to “get his own life” and be good enough to take care of itself, through word-of-mouth and other measures. He says crowd sourcing in dangerous, because you show something in a very sensitive time when it’s probably not ready to be presented – to which Dirk replies that you don’t actually have to be honest about your final product when looking for crowd funding, you can always alter your plan and make something differently. Dirk thinks there is a lack of education for people who want to go into marketing for films, and there should be universities specialized on that. Jannes Amunet chimes in and says that passion is addictive, and that this passion that you radiate when making your film can radiate to your audience and excite the audience about that. Are Film Festivals Still Relevant? I raised the question if film festivals are still relevant – and if they aren’t actually preventing the film to be seen by a mass audience because often films can’t be online or available for people to see while they are still in the festival loop. Noaz replies that a film will “tell you” where it wants to be seen, and that it often is kind of clear where the film will end up ideally and find its audience. Putting Your Work Online We talk about how Vimeo offers the an incredible amount of great filmmaking work for everyone to see, and so much inspiration. Janne mentions the “fear of rejection” that filmmakers often have, and he himself has, because he is a perfectionist. And that’s why a lot of people actually don’t put their work online, which in my opinion is a mistake. There are countless ways in which “free” passion projects that I put online in my career have let to big jobs and other shoots, connections and people that I would otherwise never have met. It’s a classical example of gaining more through sharing. In next week’s episode, we will be talking about whether technology is more enabling or more preventing from creating content in new ways. 

cinema5D together with Olympus Europe is proud to present the 3nd out of six episodes of “Perspectives on Filmmaking”. A discussion between leading filmmakers who endorse working with compact tools in their film productions. In case you missed the first episode, please watch it by clicking here, and the 2nd one here! In this 3rd episode of “Perspectives on Filmmaking”, we talk about how some manufacturers seem to “neglect” their “small cinematic camera” market completely, because they were almost created by accident in the early days, 8 or 9 years ago. We go on to talk about shooting music videos – and the way of making them work financially as there usually isn’t a lot of budget. Florian Lein talks about shooting an improvised music video for the major artist Macklemore. Noaz Deshe mentions how the challenges, restrictions and accidents – being technically or otherwise – are actually gifts for the final product. He likes to work the tools until they break apart, to find their limitations. The journalistic piece he saw shot on a DSLR when they came out impressed him, because he saw a kind of access that he didn’t see before because of the look and the size of the tool. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Dirk Wilutzky mentions how he was preparing big Hollywood films like Mission: Impossible 3 and similar projects, but then found it a more interesting challenge to work on smaller projects as a producer – and he really always wanted to work as a director. Then he started with very small projects because of the availability of small tools, and he says there are no limits to filmmaking anymore. I posed the question of the “cinema form”, whether it’s something everyone is only obsessing about? Dirk agrees that right now, people should focus on the shorter form which becomes more prevalent in our world, and is actually a bigger challenge than shooting long films. Noaz disagrees that people do this job to put food on the table – he says that people do it because they “hate not doing it” – the filmmaking process. “It’s good if the things that are weighing you down don’t anchor you, and you can be light and deal with people instead of things that drag you.” In the next segment of “Perspectives on Filmmaking”, we talk about marketing for films – do filmmakers have to be their own marketers for their films?

Stay away from counterfeit products: Straight talk with Vincent Laforet in this episode of ON THE GO.  Vincent Laforet and Nino Leitner “On the Go” for cinema5D. “Innovation is being destroyed” In this year’s first episode of our car talk show ON THE GO, I talked to commercial director / photographer and DSLR pioneer Vincent Laforet about the state of the industry. Vincent identified a dire state in gear manufacturing, with more and more innovative products being ripped off by (mainly) Asian counterfeit products. To make matters worse, some of those clone companies aren’t small operations, they are becoming huge international players. What’s left for the innovators is to go to court, which isn’t easy – not even having expensive patents necessarily protects you from counterfeiters, if you don’t have the financial resources to fight against them in international courts. And even if you do, particularly Chinese companies are still often hard to grasp legally from Western countries. We talked in particular about a high-profile clone of the MoVi Pro which has been announced just before NAB, which upset Vincent in particular as he was the person who launched the MoVi M10 together with his friends from Freefly a couple of years ago. Check back next week for another episode with Vincent Laforet, in which he will talk about how it is to shoot commercials for Apple, where his career is moving and where he expects things will go in the coming years for him and the industry. Do you care if you have “the original” of a product if it works better or is price all that matters to you? Let us know in the comments below! Please visit our sponsors’ websites to keep new episodes of ON THE GO coming! Watch previous episodes of ON THE GO (& On the Couch) by clicking here. Visit our Vimeo and YouTube playlists, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!

In collaboration with production house Neighborhood Film Co, premium stock footage site Filmsupply has launched its own film series called “Filmsupply Originals”. Last week they premiered their first film, a well-crafted short with high production value and a cast of non-actors. We have looked at stock footage start-up Filmsupply before. What is special about this site is that their catalogue consists of high-quality licensed footage only, targeting productions that look for quality content instead of amateurish clips that can be found on other stock sites by the millions. In an effort to promote their filmmakers and create a set of original film clips that companies can purchase, they have launched the Filmsupply Originals series. Writer and director Ricky Staub from Neighborhood Film Co had the chance to realize his first narrative short film as the kick-off production of the Filmsupply Originals series. The Cage is an honest picture of redemption in the face of overwhelming darkness, a film for which Staub used a cast of non-actors in order to bring raw authenticity to the story of a young man’s survival on the streets of Philadelphia. The Cage is a tribute to second chances, to the profound transformation that can come from one kid deciding to walk toward the good, even when society has labeled him the opposite,” Staub said. “The cast of this film – people from my own neighborhood in North Philly – are very connected to the vulnerability and suffering at the heart of the film. They were so present and so honest. They had an almost childlike playfulness about getting into character.” For those among our readers who are aspiring directors, cameramen or other visual film enthusiasts, I think this production can be a true testament to what happens when a passionate filmmaker walks the bold path of being true to his vision. Personally, I find this film very inspiring and I applaud the crew and cast for the extraordinary performances they achieved with limited resources. As each filmmaker faces challenges, no matter if personal or work-related, it’s nice to see a story on screen that talks about facing those in light of the brutal reality that life can often be. There is a full interview with the filmmaker that you can read to find out more about the making of the film, which is an interesting read. For those among you who are like me and prefer the spoon-fed version of info about the production, check out this well-made 7-minute behind-the-scenes look at The Cage: The Cage and future Originals will be featured on Filmsupply’s platform and marketing channels. All scenes from each of the films will be available for licensing from Filmsupply.

Hiring directors of photography in television, film, commercial and industrial productions is a headache, and I challenge you to find a producer that doesn’t agree with me. There’s a reason this industry tends to be tough to break into; nobody likes hiring, and everyone tends to stick within their networks because the risk is lower. These five questions will help you find the right DP for the job.  Picture: Graham Sheldon Hiring is a high stakes game in entertainment. Everyone wants a job and not everyone has worked over a decade to climb to the position they are in. People like jumping rungs, even when they’re unequipped to be there and are afraid to be up so high. Every producer dreads being asked the question, “Where did you find this loser?” Gauging a director of photography’s actual talent and ability to mesh with the team is tricky because of how diversified the type of content being produced is nowadays. A DP with a background in doc/reality may not be the right fit for your feature film. But what if the film is a handheld-heavy project with a short shooting schedule in a vérité style? How do you know if they’ll work well in a small team, travel-heavy shoot? Because this is a hire-who-you-know business, many ops and DPs end up shooting projects in a similar style again and again. This is mostly true in docu-series and reality television. Look at the Netflix series Chef’s Table and tell me those DPs can’t run a narrative. The proof is in the pudding: go to the reel, look at the lighting, observe the composition. Are you affected by the execution of the photography in the same way you want the audience of your current project to be affected? Then you’ve found a candidate. Thankfully, we have online tools to identify talented DP’s such as Production Beast and StaffMeUp, and even unions now have some staffing resources. But, what happens when you want to weed out the less desirable candidate? Welcome to the interview process. 5 Questions to Ask a Potential DP when Hiring for Your Next Project: How do you like receiving feedback? Receiving notes or feedback on your work in any industry is hard, but especially so as a DP. For set cohesion to really work, all departments need to be able to take feedback or criticism professionally. One of the number one personality traits that will bring you back to recurring gigs again and again is the ability to take a note, make the change and make it quickly without attitude. Tell me about your biggest challenge on location that didn’t have to do with lighting. Don’t let them get away with answering this with a lighting challenge because everyone has had a lighting challenge. This question is about true problem-solving and the answer is usually illuminating for the interviewer. The best answer here will usually give you a glimpse into their leadership or mediation style. What projects would you like to be shooting more of? I usually ask this one to see how close my particular project is with their five-year or even life goals. People tend to continue learning and building themselves towards a particular goal, and remain a little more stagnant in their knowledge of other areas. If you’re looking for a DP with lots of action experience, but his answer is something like, “I’d like to shoot more macro photography of insects”, then this may be a good indicator that this DP is not as passionate and therefore not as particular in an area where you need them to be. Why do you want to be involved with this project, and what have you heard so far? The best DP’s are planners, and a good planner will do at least basic research and know some of what they are walking into. Heavy improvisation in the field is a morale killer for the G&E department, and will mean a lot of large lights being setup and broken down without ever being turned on. Make sure you are adding a planner to your team. What do you want to learn from shooting this project? I love this one because it reminds the interviewee that it’s okay not to know everything and to be willing to step outside his or her comfort zone. With every project I’ve ever shot, I’ve tried to push a particular skill or try something that isn’t firmly in my wheelhouse. If a DP has something special they’ve been wanting to try, and you can help make that happen, it might also tame other instances where a Director wants something simple and a DP wants something gorgeous. Picture: Graham Sheldon Obviously, the easiest way to find the right candidate is to compare their hopefully honest resume with your particular show. Trying to staff up “Deadliest Catch” for Discovery, you’re probably headed in the right direction with a DP with lots of ocean-borne shooting experience, but rarely do we get candidates with resumes that match 1:1 with our projects. Lots of money is at stake and at least a career or two, so set yourself up for success in the hiring process. What do you think? What great interview questions do you find effective? Tell me below!

During my recent trip to Japan, I had a chance to visit FUJIFILM HQ and discuss the future of their X camera line, particularly the new X-T2. The talk was centred around the video capabilities of this new camera. Later this week, I will publish my review and a short video that I took with the X-T2. But first things first, and to anyone who is not familiar with the new camera, here is a short summary: As reported by us during early July, Fujifilm announced their first 4K APS-C sensor size mirrorless camera, promising to shake the somehow crowded DSLR/mirrorless camera market with a new filming tool that includes their famous film simulation. In addition, they have added an F-log function for achieving greater dynamic range and maximum flexibility during the color correction stage for anyone who is willing to use and invest in an external recorder. The additional offered VPB-XT2 handgrip will let you enjoy longer recording times in 4K mode (approximately 30 min. instead of 10 min.) and increased continuous recording time with a total of 3 batteries (one in camera plus two in the grip). Last but not least, it allows you to monitor the recorded audio, as the headphone jack is located on that grip. Jun Watanabe presenting the new Fujifilm X-T2 I must say that the people at FUJIFILM were very humble yet confident about their new creation. If you take a moment to look at the interview we did with Jun Watanabe, a manager at FUJIFILM corporation, you will clearly understand that the X-T2 is just the beginning for FUJIFILM when it comes to video-enabled mirrorless cameras. Now that they have acknowledged the need for a video function in their cameras, they will continue to improve and perfect this filming tool. Maybe the biggest news coming out of this interview is the likelihood of a firmware update that allows implementing Fuji’s F-log function in-camera, and not just through recording with an external device. In order to do so, FUJIFILM needs to be assured it is a highly requested feature. I truly urge anyone who watches this interview or reads this article to contribute by writing a short line and let FUJIFILM know it is indeed an important request. Please take into account that, while this implementation is certainly possible, it is still recommended to use the grip and record externally to achieve the highest recorded picture quality: uncompressed 4:2:2 8 bit externally, vs. compressed 4:2:0 8 bit internally. Another matter to point out is the subject of lenses. Apparently, the XF optics are designed by the same team in charge of Fujinon’s professional line of lenses. It is worth pointing out that FUJIFILM will consider expanding their selection of video zoom lenses according to market demand. Other topics discussed in the interview are FUJIFILM’s take on creating tools for professional filmmakers, and an answer to my question if we will ever see a full frame sensor size X camera. Stay tuned for more fresh content about Fuji’s new X-T2 camera, and please don’t forget to raise your voice and ask for in-camera F-log. Many thanks to Jun Watanabe, Kiyoshi Inoue and Fabian Chaundy for helping conducting and translating this interview. 

Are you a creator, a filmmaker or camera enthusiast? Are you looking for the ingredients it takes to master a creative life and be successful with your craft? Then you are either one of the people depicted in this film, or one of the many creatives that struggle on a daily basis just like them. I recently watched the newly released documentary “MAKE” on Vimeo and I truly enjoyed it. I felt both understood in my endeavour to work in media and also fascinated after being confronted with the reality of my situation as a creator in this industry. Several filmmakers, artists and designers have received a voice in this feature-length documentary and they speak for all of us. It’s no secret that “MAKE” is an elaborate marketing effort by the successful music licensing platform musicbed. And while they might remind us of their existence yet again, this film certainly has much more value than being a mere promo stunt. In its own language, you could say that it could even teach us a lesson about how to create something inspiring and meaningful that transcends its initial purpose. It’s much more interesting to talk about the grey area of things than it is to talk about what you’ve decided is right. Sylvan Esso (Pop Duo)   “Musicbed has a unique perspective in the creative industry. Working with both Filmmakers and Musicians, we’ve seen firsthand the traps that artists can fall into when they’re driven by something other than their passion to create. It’s so easy to be blinded by dollars, followers and awards. It’s a pitfall that is more evident in today’s culture than ever, but it’s also an issue as old as time itself.” – The Musicbed (Production) While the merit of the storytelling style of “MAKE” can be debated, there is no question that the philosophical approach they’ve taken gives us a lot to think about. With barely any pauses, its 75 minutes of deep questions, ideas and inspiring thoughts could make a difference for an ambitious artist. If nothing else, the film is definitely worth the discussion about the questions surrounding a creative life path, whether you debate those only in your head or in the comment section of this article. It’s easy to do the right stuff for a lot of the wrong reasons Danny Yount (Title Designer) At times, “MAKE” might be taken as being a little bit too ambitious when it borders the reflection of questions about life itself, laying it on thick with emotional music and slow motion images. I’d say it follows the current popular filmmaking style, and many will probably like that. You could also say the film certainly has the musicbed language written all over it, but it’s enjoyable to watch and the video and sound quality is excellent. If no one ever looked, I’d still be making cool shit with my buddies. You know what I mean? It’s as honest as I can be. Before anyone was interested, that’s what I was doing. I had a great life. Aaron Draplin (Designer) By now you’ve probably guessed that personally I thought this film is really worth watching. It’s a unique piece of documentary filmmaking that goes to the bottom of what it takes to be a “MAKE”R, and listening to the struggles and resulting wisdom of a diversity of successful filmmakers, musicians and designers is inspiring for my own path in this field. It is honest, passionate and true to the questions it takes about. I liked it. You can watch it on Vimeo HERE. No one is going to do it for you. You have to go out and do it yourself. Reed Morano (Director) What drives you to create? If you’ve watched “MAKE”, let us know in the comments.