SONY OPENS UK VIRTUAL PRODUCTION SPACE Sony has marked ten years of its Digital Media Production Centre (DMPC) in Europe at Pinewood Studios with a first UK virtual production unit using Sony Crystal-LED technology. The state-of-the-art space has become part of the DMPC in Europe, one of the world’s leading destinations for makers of film, television, and … Read more
THINKING GREEN Sustainability is no compromise, it is the doorway to creative possibility, says Gildas Pelliet, Head of Pan European Imaging Products & Solutions for Sony Europe. Cinema and TV screens show us a beautiful spectrum of colours, however the film and TV industries definitely prefer green. Finding more environmentally-friendly ways to film has shot … Read more
IN THE DRIVING SEAT Rialto brings many degrees of freedom to Gran Turismo. Gran Turismo director of photography Jacques Jouffret ASC is no stranger to action. With a DP credit list that includes Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Purge series, and Mile 22, as well as several films operating Steadicam and camera for Michael Bay, … Read more
CRYSTAL CLEAR Sony adds the VERONA to its Crystal LED range of displays, offering deep blacks, low reflectance, and modular flexibility for volume shooting. First announced in January 2021, Sony’s Crystal range of LED displays has been aimed at various large-scale display applications including live events. Now the corporation has announced VERONA, an evolution of … Read more
SINGLE OPERATORS SOAR WITH SONY BURANO Sony has announced a new digital cinema camera, the BURANO. With an 8.6K full-frame sensor, internal 16-bit X-OCN LT recording and both PL and E-mount support, the BURANO is aimed at small crews and single operators. At a Pinewood Studios rendered eerily quiet by the strikes, British Cinematographer joined … Read more
Light Source Film is a beacon of transformation that has evolved far beyond its humble beginnings just over a decade ago. The brainchild of lighting technician Aaron Keating, Light Source Film was originally set up as a portal to help qualified and sometimes overlooked sparks to showcase their talents. In other words, it aimed to … Read more
From RGBW LEDs to traditional tungsten, from wireless consoles to simple textiles, the tools of the lighting department are many and varied. A range of working gaffers share their must-haves and go-to items with us. “Keep it simple,” is Julian White’s advice. “Less is more, because if there are less things to work with there … Read more
Pete Romano ASC explores the tech milestones and lighting kit developments that have impacted his work as a specialist in underwater shooting. Working underwater combines several tricky factors. There’s often no, or less, natural light, space fades to blue over quite short distances even when it’s spotlessly clean, and taking lighting down there is, well, … Read more
VELVET introduces two new fixtures this September to join it KOSMOS series of unique LED Fresnels. VELVET has been a reference for LED lighting in cinema since two Spanish DPs (Javier Valderrama and Toni Hernandez) founded the company in 2008 in order to work with the light they dreamed of. VELVET has the best lumen/watt … Read more
Tommy Maddox-Upshaw ASC achieves skin tone accuracy from prep to set with Rosco DMG Lights. Cinematographer Tommy Maddox-Upshaw ASC was introduced to Rosco’s DMG Lighting fixtures by gaffer Wayne Shields on the 10-part Paramount+ drama The Man Who Fell To Earth, which was largely shot in the UK. Since then, he has used these unique … Read more
Panalux’s proprietary innovations, extensive inventory and breadth of support enable cinematographers to bring their visions to light. “When you’ve got a big job, Panalux has to do it,” says cinematographer Ben Smithard BSC. “I know they’ll always have what I need.” The lighting provider’s massive rental inventory includes solutions from all the major manufacturers backed … Read more
Litepanels’ Gemini Hard panels push up the power to help gaffers make the day. It’s easy to think of big changes in lighting technology as a recent phenomenon, but gaffer Michael McDermott has spent 45 years working on productions including Quantum of Solace and Game of Thrones, and his experience tells a different story. “Up … Read more
Find out how Godox’s innovative lighting solutions aim to simplify the filmmaking workflow. The corporate mantra of Godox is to embrace creative possibilities, empowering creators to shape their artistic signatures effortlessly. “Our holistic system ranges from compact tools for handy use, to game-changing fixtures with ample power, providing a boundless canvas for imagination and creativity,” … Read more
Gaffer Wayne Shields reveals how he uses Astera Tubes on Back in Action, Deadpool 3 and Apple TV+ series Disclaimer. “I can generally suss out how the DP likes to work after a couple of weeks shooting,” says gaffer Wayne Shields. “Most of the work is done in prep but their style of shooting, the … Read more
Being able to obtain shading and distortion metadata is vital to fast, accurate and complex shot creation for VFX and virtual production. Tracking metadata efficiently from capture downstream through post-production has long been a vexing issue and one the rapid rise of Virtual Production has thrown into sharp focus. Often, metadata doesn’t make it downstream … Read more
To accommodate the multi-dimensional needs of DPs, Shift 4 Cine is the latest innovative offering from one of London’s longest-running, independent rental houses. It’s been a project 10 years in the making, gathering an experienced team, collecting top-of-the-range tools, to bring an adaptable and stylish cinematography unit to fruition. Established in 1989, Shift 4’s new … Read more
Whatever the creative and technical requirements of a shoot, Pixipixel’s extensive range of lenses is a filmmaking treasure trove. Since being founded in 2003, equipment rental company Pixipixel has built up its portfolio from stills photography to lighting for both still and motion picture shoots to cinematography cameras. This led naturally to lenses for filmmaking, … Read more
Panavision’s vast lens inventory enables cinematographers to find the perfect match for their creative vision. With the variety of sensor sizes available today in addition to the continuing use of 35mm, 65mm and 16mm film, “filmmakers have got more choice than ever,” says Terra Bliss, managing director for Panavision UK and Ireland. “There’s a high … Read more
OSF specialise in supplying camera, lenses and grip equipment to the film, TV, commercial and promo industry and could be the industry’s best kept secret. There’s nothing cinematographers love more than perfecting a distinctive look that will help tell the story for their director. In the age of digital sensors which tend to render all … Read more
Discover how Leitz’s ZOOM lenses can help cinematographers elevate the images they craft to the next level. Have you tried the Leitz ZOOM lenses yet? For years we’ve been asked for recommendations on which existing zoom lenses pair best with Leitz cine lenses. Although some zooms were sharp like the Summilux-C lenses, or had a … Read more