CINEMATOGRAPHY 1
FALL 2017
Syllabus (updated 9.28.17)
Reminder: Davinci Resolve Workshops are October 13th, 11am and 1:30pm at the Tech Center!
Assignments Repository (also listed under the relevant weeks as they occur):
- Lighting with One Light (due sept. 19th)
- Lighting Relativity (due sept. 26th)
- Hollywood Portrait & Painting Recreation (due October 17th)
- Scene Recreation (due November 7th)
- Final: Expressive Lighting Scene Recreation (due Nov. 28th)
- Bonus: Self-Assessment Essay (due Dec. 5th)
Selected Slides & Notes from Class Presentations (password required):
- Photographic Principles
- How Not to Blow a Circuit
- How to Properly Exchange Camera Lenses
- Blackmagic Camera Manual
WEEK 14 / 15
Bonus: Self-Assessment Essay
Requiem for a Dream Commentary w/ Matthew Libatique
WEEK 12 / 13
Readings: Excerpts from Rabiger "Coverage and the Shooting Script"
Supplemental Reading: Excerpt from "Shot by Shot" by Katz. Vittorio Storaro interview; Owen Roizman interview
Quick Vid on Lining a Shooting Script:
WEEK 09 / 10
Reading: Chapter on "Set Operations" from Brown, Cinematography, and Set Lighting Roles (excerpt from Set Lighting Technicians Handbook)
Assignment: Scene Recreation (due November 7th) / Scripts
Supplemental Reading: Raw, Log and Uncompressed Explained; Understanding Log-Format Recording
WEEK 08
"Traditional" Crew Position Chain of Command
Inverse Square Law
Audio recording of Christian Bale on DP / Gaffer set etiquette as it relates to actors.
“It was a very emotional scene,” said one set worker, who could not speak for attribution because she signed a confidentiality agreement. “We cleared everyone out of their sight-line and Shane was the only one there. And he was wandering back and forth between Bryce and Christian’s eyeline.”
Dynamic Range of Various Camera Systems
Viewing / Reference Grip Video:
WEEK 06
Reading: Teaching the Camera to See My Skin, The Art of Lighting Dark Skin for Film and HD
WEEK 05
Reading: "Arsenal of Lights" (excerpt); Roger Deakins and David Mullen on "3-point Lighting"; Roger Deakins on Motivated Lighting (here are the two references images in that post)
Reference Material on Light Placement and Diffusions:
Things you might consider purchasing for cinematography work:
- LEE Filters Quick Location Pack
- Gloves for working with hot lights (cheap hardware supply store leather gloves *may* also work for lower wattage lights)
Deakins on "key fill ratios"
Supplemental Videos:
BTS of Arrival from a DP perspective:
Bradford Young Interview:
A camera "shootout" (to show you how little or how much your camera matters); there are two other parts to this you can find online
WEEK 04
Assignment: Lighting Relativity (due sept. 26th)
Readings:
Intro to Meters:
WEEK 03
Assignment: Lighting with One Light
Reading: "Lighting Basics," pages 259 - 266 in Cinematography : Theory and Practice
RTFM: Canon DSLR User Manuals
DP Andrij Parekh on lighting "Blue Valentine" with one light, starts at 14:40:
WEEK 02
Reading: "Exposure" chapter in Cinematography : Theory and Practice
Supplemental Reading and Viewing:
WEEK 01
Reading: Gordon Willis from Masters of Light; "Brightness, Color, and Contrast" from Light--Science and Magic
Supplemental Viewing:
Visions of Light (1992)