Screen Magazine - Index

Screen Magazine - Screen Magazine: Vol. 29, Issue 6 - Index

News You Can Use From Schumacher Camera
Recently sales hype has been put out in the local film
community regarding shooting in 3 perf. We hope that
this write up is helpful to you in making the decision if
shooting in 3 perf is right for you. Here are some critical
considerations to take into account:
1. Although it is true that there is about a 25% savings
in film stock over filming with conventional 4 perf
cameras, please understand that in shooting with 3
perf cameras you are very limited in what aspect ratio
you can use. These aspect ratios are: a mini version of
TV/1.33 (which is way smaller than Super 35 Big TV and
also smaller than Normal 35 TV safe), 1.66, 1.78, 1.85
and 2.35 centric. Another way to look at it is that all
these formats with the exception of TV/1.33 have the
letterbox look.
2. Almost all current commercial productions are shot
in the Super 35 Big TV format (Super 1.33) which use
4 perf cameras. Why? There are two main reasons:
1. Your DP and post house know that with this format
you are using close to the full negative area which will
give you the greatest amount of image clarity and
resolution, and 2. Since most people in the U.S. still
have the conventional square (1.33) television set, to
shoot in the 1.33 format still makes sense. As mentioned
in the first consideration, you CANNOT use the Super 35
Big TV format in 3 perf.
3. Deciding whether or not to shoot 3 or 4 perf is NOT
something that should be left for the day before or day
of prep. Depending on the camera desired, to convert
it to run 3 perf can take anywhere from several hours to
a couple of days to do. In addition, since these types
of cameras are not extremely plentiful throughout
the country, it is likely that one will have to be hunted
down and shipped in. Everyone from the client to the
agency, producer, director, DP and editor must be on
board from the very beginning with which aspect ratio
they want the production to be shot in. If one cannot
make this decision with absolute certainty, it is better
to shoot with a 4 perf camera and have the full 35mm
frame available to work with in post.
4. Finally, depending on how much film is shot, the
savings may only be minimal. The savings that 3 perf
cameras offer usually come into play on productions
such as episodic television and feature films where tens
of thousands of feet of film are shot.
We hope that this information is helpful to all of you as
you plan your next production.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to
call us at (312) 243-3400.
Sincerely,
James Pope & Mike Acuña
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Boutique Creative Solutions Company
The Field Launches In New York
Entrepreneur and executive producer Michael Porte,
known for such successful previous endeavors with
audioEngine, Crush Digital, and Mad River Post, has opened
creative service company The Field. The Field is a creative
editorial shop designed to accommodate the changing
postproduction environment that has developed in the
age of Internet films and HD television.
The Field boasts the talents of European editor Fabrizio
Rosetti, who has collaborated with the likes of Tony Kaye
and Antoine Fuqua, as well as production companies
Stink and Partizan on projects for Leo Burnett, Saatchi and
Publicis. Editor Mike Siedlecki, who joins from the Concept
Farm, is known for cutting projects for ESPN, Home Depot
and Bank of NY, among others.
Also joining is Joe Orlowski, previously with Convergence,
whose work includes spots for Kodak and branded content
(Cadillac 5 Minute Film Festival), and Zak Tucker from Swete
Post who is currently cutting the documentary “Who is
Wyclef Jean?” and was the director/editor of the feature
“Poster Boy” starring Karen Allen and Michael Lerner.
Located in the heart of New York’s production hub of the
Flat Iron District, The Field shares its environment with sister
company Nth Degree, a branding and motion graphics
company, and character animation company Flickerlab.
Designed to serve
the commercial,
broadcast and indie
film communities,
The Field offers a
wealth of talent
and resources that
can be combined
as needed.
“When I looked at
what was needed
to serve clients in
today’s market, I saw
a need for flexibility
and diversification,”
says Porte. “With
The Field, clients
can have access to great talent and experts in a variety
of areas to produce whatever they need, from editorial,
animation and branding for advertising, virals, films and
broadcast promotions.”
A noted creative advertising professional and entrepreneur,
Michael Porte has a 20-year history of creating successful
media and advertising companies. After beginning his
career as an ad agency producer, he co-founded creative
editorial company Mad River Post and subsequently cofounded
leading DVD production company Crush Digital
Video, commercial production company Calypso Films,
and PR agency Creative Exposure. In 2007 he sold his
partnership stake in mix house audioEngine to run branding
company Nth Degree and start formulating The Field.
//www.thefieldtv.com