Then and Now - 'Line of Duty' 25/10/20

We recently picked up the same scene we were shooting in March when production shut down. Spot the difference.

More Soft Top Light - 'Line of Duty' 25/10/20

The final big soft top rig and gaffer Carlo McDonnell really nailed this one. These were going to be very long scenes shot with multiple cameras so the lighting had to work for all cameras and lens sizes from all angles and at the same time. There were always six people with a variety of complexions sitting at the table. The combination of a very soft perfectly even large source from above and the gentle bounce from the table top, never let us down. The source was an Arri Skypanel S360-C set as far above the diffusion as possible. The material was Full Gridcloth. The set beyond was lit with Arri Skypanel S120-Cs through dop Choice Snapgrid softboxes.

Sky Light - 'Line of Duty' 25/10/20

Another simple and effective rig from gaffer Carlo McDonnell. We needed width rather than depth to create a sense of believable skylight. Two 12x12 frames rigged side by side in a slight V shape to make the light somewhat directional and 4kw HMI pointed at each frame.

Old School - 'Line of Duty' 25/10/20

I've got to hand it to producer Ken Horn. This was his idea and it was an ingenious solution to reducing numbers on set while keeping the camera mobile. It brought back memories of studio filming and it was still so easy to do all your own jibbing and tracking.

 

Tight Spot - 'Line of Duty' 25/10/20

Ever resourceful key grip Glynn Harrison managed to shoehorn his jib arm into the tightest of spots. There was only one room left to operate from.

Cineo ReFlex R15 - 'Line of Duty' 25/10/20

NBC Universal sent a demo to try out for my next job. I only had it for a day but this lamp really proved itself. It's not quite got the advertised output of a 6kw HMI; more like a 4kw HMI with half diffusion on the barndoors. Not bad though for a lamp that only draws 1500W and can be battery powered. Imagine the potential in difficult locations especially as it is weather sealed. The R15 eliminates the need for any lamp between a 575w and a 4kw in daylight and between a 1kw and 5kw in tungsten. As expected dimming and colour are controlled remotely but most exciting is remote control of spot and flood. As seen in the pictures below, the R15, only at 50% brightness, easily punched through the ambience of the Skypanel S120s to provide a shaft of strong sunlight. More to come!

Motorised Slider - 'Line of Duty' 25/10/20

In the interest of keeping personnel numbers down on set we opted to use a remote head on a KFX Technology adapted Ronford Baker slider. I was able to relay instructions to the grip through a talkback system. He was monitoring the scene and could make all the necessary adjustments to the camera's position.

Agito Dolly - 'Line of Duty' 25/10/20

I've been hoping to use Motion Impossible's Agito Dolly since first seeing the device at the BSC show in 2019. An opportunity arose when filming a car convoy and stunt. Yes, a conventional tracking vehicle or quad bike could have been used for tracking shots but the Agito Dolly had two distinct advantages. First, it's small size allowed it to get right in amongst the action for the stunt portion of the scene, which would not have been feasible or safe for a manned vehicle. Secondly, the Agito was so discreet that it was very easy to paint out in post when it came into the shots of other cameras.

Soft Top Light - 'Line of Duty' 25/10/20

Bigger is better. I was after a very broad source top light that would eliminate shadows under the eyes by wrapping around the faces and be controlled enough to keep light off the walls in this small interview room set. Gaffer Carlo McDonnell devised a square of nine colour calibrated ceiling tiles built into the ceiling to maximize space. Black Corex on the sides took care of flagging. The white table top bounced enough light back for wide shots but too much for close ups hence the black showcard positioned out of shot for negative fill.

Falcon Eyes RX-29TDX LED - 'Line of Duty' 25/10/20

Incredibly lightweight, versatile and CHEAP, the Falcon Eyes RX-29TDX LED panel is about the same size as an old KinoFlo 4' 2 Bank and produces excellent CRI values. It is bicolour, dimmable, battery powered and fully remote controlled. The first time I used the lamp I realised it was so bright that it needed an ND6 in at all times otherwise the dimmer was always operating at between 5-10%, even in bright daylight interiors. You can buy a complete two head kit with all accessories for under £1,000.00 - on Amazon!! The last two gaffers I've worked with have bought kits for themselves. Pictures below of the ease with which they can be rigged due to their lightness and slim profile.

Natural Sunlight - 'Line of Duty' 25/10/20

This was an upper floor location with no access to control available light from outside. It was a long scene, the windows were receiving full sun and we had to go with it knowing full well that clouds would interfere as the scene progressed. Astera Titan tubes were mounted in KinoFlo housings above the windows to enhance or balance to the shifting ambient levels. Judicious use made of various shapes and sizes of poly to reflect light back. Fortunately the sun held for the wide shots and mid shots and the close ups were easy to light in.

Astera AX3 - 'Line of Duty' 25/10/20

This little gem works superbly as a bounce source. The magnetic back makes rigging even quicker in the office set with steel ceiling panels.

Airstar Lighting Balloons - 'The Nest' 27/08/20

The perfect location for a helium lighting balloon - Glasgow Sheriff's court. The upper floor courtroom faced the main road and there was only a small balcony outside the centre windows to place lamps. It was not possible to light through the end windows and on the crane, the camera lens saw the whole room. The Airstar balloon evened out the lighting along the length of the room and of course stayed out of shot.

Arri Skypanel S360 - 'The Nest' 27/08/20

I know, I know... another beauty shot of a film lamp. In this instance however it shows how effective the Arri Skypanel S360 is. The lamp was positioned across the road some 70' away and was doing the same job as a traditional 12K HMI through a Full Grid frame and with full wireless remote control of intensity and colour via the Gaffers Control unit. Having instant remote control of these features is invaluable when it comes to making continuous adjustments based on an ever-changing sky.

 

 

Astera 'Roof Rack' Rig - 'The Nest' 27/08/20

Same rig with the Astera Titans as on 'McDonald & Dodds' - see 19/08/20 blog post. Neater rig here with a polecat on suction mounts rather than a scaffold rig and magic arms. The polecat allowed the tubes to be positioned further away from the windows for a more natural spread of light.

 

Big Tungsten pt 2 - 'The Nest' 27/08/20

Once again, nothing can beat the natural warmth, spread and unique combination of softness and punch that only a large tungsten source can provide, in this instance a Full Dino. Skylight fill from a cheap as chips Falcon Eyes RX-29TDX. Reflector courtesy of ace gaffer Paul 'Jarvo' Jarvis.

Big Tungsten - 'The Nest' 25/08/20

Few light sources replicate the power and spread of strong sunlight better than a multi source array of par 64 tungsten globes - fondly called a Dino Light. For this scene a Full Dino (24 bulbs) was butted up against a Half Dino (12 bulbs) with a second Half Dino positioned a little further away. 

Ceiling Tile Rig - 'The Nest' 25/08/20

Another ingenious garden shed invention by best boy Paul Bates. It takes all the pain out of rigging lights from suspended ceilings.

Optex Excellence - 'The Nest' 25/08/20

In 'Probe' mode now to get angles from within an incubator.

Optex Excellence - 'The Nest' 25/08/20

The Optex Excellence in 'Ostrich' or overhead periscope mode helps to stay out of the way. It's a very efficient way of getting discreet over the shoulder shots without causing distress to or endangering such a precious cargo with heavy equipment and a looming camera operator directly overhead.

Inverted Slider - 'The Nest' 24/08/20

I love this rig for getting low over tabletops and bars.

Low Angle Prism - 'The Nest' 24/08/20

Prism shot in a hospital corridor. There is a telltale double reflection at the top of the frame caused by the proximity of the fluorescent fixture to the upper frame line but at least the reflection looks like a florrie tube - sort of...

Astera AX3 - 'The Nest' 23/08/20

This was the first time that I had used the Astera AX3 and I was completely won over. From the same manufacturere as the Astera Titan tube, the AX3 offers the same degree of flexibility with wireless RGB control via iPad, a long lasting battery and incredible punch for its size. In the café it had to cut through the existing ambience from the overhead fluorescents and the daylight. In the coutroom it could throw its beam a good 12' up to the coat of arms. The best thing about the lamp is that it is so easy to hide.

Skypanel Rain Covers - 'The Nest' 23/08/20

Highly effective rain covers to fit the Arri Skypanel S120 and S360, designed from the ground up by best boy, Paul Bates.

Double Grad - 'The Nest' 23/08/20

The lighting was always going to be flat in a wide shot looking away from the windows of a hospital room. How do you get shape on the pale walls and bright bedding without filling the room with large flags or relighting. The great cinematographer John Alcott used graduated filters indoors to do just that. Here we have a Hard Edge ND6 above and a Hard Edge ND3 below. It's not Barry Lyndon though...just a dull hospital room.

 

A Squash and a Squeeze - 'The Nest' 23/08/20

This was tight but key grip David Clarke still managed to shoehorn a minijib and Ronin 2 into a small triangular bedroom. The arm's bucket was in the loo!

Stripped Down Alexa Mini LF - 'The Nest' 21/08/20

The Mini LF just works so well for this type of shot. Yes you can undock the Sony Venice but there will still be a cable to the recorder. Everything is contained within the body of the LF. 35mm Canon K-35 + No 2 Diopter.

 

Z Plate - 'McDonald & Dodds' 20/08/20

Being put to good use again, the Z Plate still always comes up trumps when the camera has to be closer to the wall than the width of the head allows.

Mondrian Greenscreen - 'McDonald & Dodds' 20/08/20

The way the lighting ended up on this greenscreen could have been mistaken for a piece of abstract expressionist art. Blame it on the tinted windows of modern cars. Each portion of greenscreen in view through the side and rear windows had to be lit (or flagged) separately according to the strength of tint in order to ensure an evenly exposed background.

Strazzed - 'McDonald & Dodds' 20/08/20

You, gentle reader who has previously perused this blog, will understand the colloquialism 'Strazzed'. I won't repeat where the term is derived from but suffice to say it means shoving a lamp in anywhere that it can (or can't) fit. Here a nice little eye light fill inside a car.

Astera Titan Car Rig Night - 'McDonald & Dodds' 19/08/20

I used to do the identical roof rack rig with 4' Single Kinoflos. You'd need cables to the ballast, cables from the ballast to a a 30v inverter that took up the entire boot, gel on the lampheads and blackwrap over every electrical connection to protect against moisture. Today everything is contained within the Astera Titan lamphead itself and all exposure/colour settings are remotely controlled wirelessly. The techonology is truly fantastic.

Astera Titan Hand Held - 'McDonald & Dodds' 19/08/20

This really was guerilla filmmaking in the streets of Bath at night in the rain. I don't even know if we had permissions to film. There was amber streetlight down one side and fluorescent lit shops down the other. To supplement this one electrician followed the actress down the street perpencidular to the camera with an Astera Titan tube set to Lee High Sodium. On the opposite (shopfront side) the second electrician was doing the same with his tube set to Lee 117 Steel Blue. It was so quick and easy and the rain looked great!

Low Angle Prism - 'McDonald & Dodds' 19/08/20

A trusty optic put to good use once again to get the perfect angle on a game of pétanque at the Bath Boules tournament.

Top Light Rig - 'McDonald & Dodds' 19/08/20

A simple top light rig that worked for day and night in the stairwell - Arri Skypanel S120.

Source 4 Bounce - 'McDonald & Dodds' 19/08/20

One of my favourite space saving ways of bouncing light: a Source 4 using the leaves in the shutter to cut the light to the exact shape you want it. Presto - no flags! In this instance using a Joker Bug HMI to power the lamp.

T-Rex Rig of the Week - 'The Last Kingdom' 17/08/20

Sometimes you do take a sledgehammer to a nail. For a relatively straightforward tilt up from a close up of the boy writing to his face and then opening up the shot to see his surroundings, we could have actually done it conventionally, underslung on an inverted slider with a 24mm lens. Instead, hubris and gear fever took over and I'm quite ashamed now of what we ended up with. Lesson learned and it proves the point that every day is still a school day.

T-Rex Strikes Again - 'The Last Kingdom' 17/08/20

Complicated geometry here because the shot involved a pan and a track in. Panning the lens in perisocope mode throws the level off unless the camera is perfectly level, which means that, for the T-Rex Superscope with its system of rotating internal mirrors, the internal optics have to be true. There is no way of checking this except by trial and error and making micro adjustments to the mirror after each pan until the camera travels straight. Sterling effort by key grip Imre Sisa and camera operator John Piggott.

Waiting for the Bird -  'The Last Kingdom' 17/08/20

You'd think you were on a hiding to nothing waiting for a bird to cross your perfectly preset frame. We certainly did wait. John Piggott on A camera. Me as backup on the Osmo. Key grip Imre Sisa relaxing. Admittedly it was a trained bird and after forty five minutes of flying off in every other direction but ours we were just about to call it quits when... A fraction low in frame but that was the keeper.

Long Pole Steadicam 'The Last Kingdom' 17/08/20

A simple solution to a tricky shot. Leading horses in at a slow walk framing the shot at the riders' head height might necessitate the use of a Polaris tracking vehicle. When there is little room for manoeuvre because of the number of extras, this becomes impractical. Steadicam operator Imre Juhász devised an extension to his rig that gained the extra height.

Rib Jib 'The Last Kingdom' - 17/08/20

Ever resourceful key grip, Imre Sisa, rigs the minijib on an inflatable. The fish jumping was a bonus!

Sun Bounce 'The Last Kingdom' - 17/08/20

Harnessing the elements for a kicker. Sun reflecting off soft silver then through 1/8 diffusion for a gentle rim light on Aethelflaed.

Poly Raft 'The Last Kingdom' - 17/08/20

For a quick shot in the 'Plague Lake' camera operator John Piggott floats the camera on a sheet of poly.

Mini Jib-tastic 'The Last Kingdom' - 14/07/19

We're carrying a little jib arm and mini Scorpio head on the camera truck and boy is it being put to good use. Key grip Imre Sisa and his crack team knock it up in no time and can squeeze it into the most inhospitable and inaccessible places.

Night into Day 'The Last Kingdom' - 14/07/19

It was nearly dark but there was still a day scene to film. Thank goodness for the big machines and the big lamps. 18K back light mimicked the sun nicely and added sparkle to the water. The big SkyPanel soft box created the necessary sky light fill and there was another 18K behind camera to fill the faces.

Perfect Filming Day 'The Last Kingdom' - 14/07/19

Beautiful back light, summer wild flowers in blossom, 20x20 bounce, 50' Technocrane.

Strazzed! 'The Last Kingdom' - 14/07/19

'Strazzed': a lamp that has been thrust, wedged, balanced or sandwiched anywhere that a traditional piece of lighting grip equipment cannot go.

Quarter Silk 'The Last Kingdom' - 14/07/19

Little things can make the difference. Sometimes when the sun is harsh and strong shadows have been established in the wide, it is nicer to retain that high contrast look in the close ups. Quarter silk on a butterfly frame is the perfect tool. Any stronger diffusion, however flattering it might look, will not match especially if there are people behind in direct sunlight. The quarter silk retains the shadows but spreads the light just enough to take out the harshness and make the fill feel natural. It never looks like the principals are in a different light to the background artists.

T-Rex Lens 'The Last Kingdom' - 14/07/19

Unfortunately my favoured periscope/borescope lens, The Optex Excellence, is not available in Hungary. Instead I was offered the T-Rex Superscope system. It is far bulkier than the Optex and the diameter of the front lens element is substantially wider, which prevents the camera from 'going through' narrow apertures. It did the job however and the rotating internal mirror is a wonderfully creative tool as well as a well considered method of keeping the horizon level whilst the camera is moving. T8.0 maximum aperture is a struggle after T4.5 of the Excellence. 2-1 to the Optex Excellence so far. Camera operator John Piggott enjoying the T-Rex in its probe mode.

Large Softbox Rig 'The Last Kingdom' - 14/07/19

Arri SkyPanels have revolutionised the way we can light with large soft sources at night. It is no longer necessary to build giant moonboxes out of heavily silked, power hungry Dino Lights. Gaffer Zsolt Būti rigs 20 S60 SkyPanels across two truss beams diffused with a single layer of Grid Cloth. Light intensity, effects and colour temperature are all set from a single controller at ground level. When working with two or three machines like this around a large set, the speed with which one turn a back light into a key light or a key light into a fill light is extraordinary and incredibly liberating. 

Top shot 'The Last Kingdom' - 14/07/19

I've never seen this rig before but for a top shot in a high ceilinged set that required a procession of people to walk beneath the camera, key grip Imre Sisa came up with this ingenious solution.

Shafts of Light 'The Last Kingdom' - 14/07/19

Molebeam into a mirror always delivers.

DJI Osmo Pocket 'The Last Kingdom' - 14/07/19

Purchased this little beauty at the start of the job and it has been working brilliantly as a wearable stabilised action camera as well as a conventional camera. We have already graded the first two episodes and the Osmo footage cuts in perfectly with the Alexa even when pushed to 1600asa at night. All for £330.00 -unbelievable! In the first picture, camera operator John Piggott is in charge. In the second, director Andy Hay assumes operating duty.

LiteTile Plus 8 'The Last Kingdom' - 14/07/19

The LiteTile Plus 8 by Litegear is getting plenty of good use on the show. Works particularly well rigged high directly behind camera for the softest eye light.

Titan Astera LED 'The Last Kingdom' - 14/07/19

I saw the Titan Astera LED Tube system for the first time at the BSC show in January. It is an impressively designed system and I was looking forward to working with these lights. Fortunately they were included in the lighting package on the new series of 'The Last Kingdom'. They are even more versatile than I expected: lightweight, quick to rig, long battery life, all settings controlled from an ipad app that actually works properly, true colours and an alotogether lovely soft light. A truly revolutionary new system.

 

Nodal Dutch Head 'Dublin Murders' - 24/02/19

For several shots we needed a Dutch head that could roll around the nodal point of the lens. I have done this before with one Ronford 7 fluid head mounted transversely on top of another. Once again grip Glynn Harrison came to the rescue with this innovative and simple interpretation of the above idea. It took a little bit of carpentry and metal working skill but Glynn fashioned a head that with a little more stripping down of the camera, could have rolled 360 degrees.

Innovision Probe pt 4 'Dublin Murders' - 24/02/19

This was a great shot. The camera had to move through the louvres of a ceiling light panel and then retreat back out again. Grip Glynn Harrison mounted a GF8 arm on the dolly with a lightweight Aurora remote head on the end. The movement needed to be so delicate because the lens could not touch the sides of the light fitting.

Innovision Probe pt 3 'Dublin Murders' - 24/02/19

In periscope mode for a shot in a lift where the camera needed to be further back but the back wall did not fly.

Innovision Probe pt 2 'Dublin Murders' - 24/02/19

Close Up tattooing.

Innovision Probe pt 1 'Dublin Murders' - 24/02/19

Made good use of the Innovision Probe on this show. It's not the Optex Excellence. The 10mm lens is unusable, the distance from lens support to front element is shorter, it's slower (more on that later) and it is not as sharp. Still an amazing optic and it really delivers if you know how to work around its limitations. It usually has a maximum aperture of T5.6 but for the scene below we were mistakenly sent the T16 version. For a dusky campfire scene I had to light the set up like Piccadilly Circus. Thank goodness the scene needed to look underexposed - because it was!

The Way I Like to Light 'Dublin Murders' - 24/02/19

Big Tungsten, smoke, no fill.

Hand Bashing Extraordinaire 'Dublin Murders' - 24/02/19

I thought I had seen everything but this one knocked me for six. I asked gaffer supreme Barry Conroy if he could track the actors with a little Aladdin for the eyes. He told me to hang on a minute because he had something better. Voila! Easirig + Flowcine Serene + Arri Skypanel S30 + Softbox. Well done Barry!

Aladdin LED Lights 'Dublin Murders' - 24/02/19

Plenty of use out of the Aladdin A-Lite and Aladdin Eye-Lite on this show. Wedged into a car headrest, taped to a mannequin, standing behind a teacup, stuck to a sunroof and on a camera in the capable hands of operator Matt Fisher.

 

Doctor Who 'The Witchfinders' - Don't Miss

Sunday November 25th, 19:00 BBC1

Aladdin LED Lights 'MotherFatherSon - 31/10/18

Incredibly versatile Aladdin A-Lite and Aladdin Eye-Lite. Both are battery powered, bi-colour and dimmable. USB charging so can be run off a USB charging pack when they run out of power.

LiteTile+ Plus 8 'MotherFatherSon' - 31/10/18

LiteTile+ Plus 8. Excellent large soft source.

Doctor Who 'Arachnids in the UK' - Don't Miss

Sunday October 28th, 19:00 BBC1

Killing Eve BBC1 - 23/10/18

Hit TV series 'Killing Eve' is now transmitting on BBC1. All episodes available on BBC iPlayer. Congratulations to director Jon East, producer Colin Wratten, writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge, all cast and crew and everybody at Sid Gentle Films.

Farewell 'Strike Back' - 22/10/18,/h1>

Good bye to Strike Back, a fantastic crew and all the natural wonders Malaysia had to offer - sweet yams straight out of the ground, exquisitely ripe papayas growing by the side of the road. Best boy grip Sekar Veerappan assuming duties of court taster.

Aerial Stunt - 'Strike Back' 22/10/18

Who needs a technocrane when the production is fortunate enough to have such a highly accomplished team of stuntmen in the capable hands of stunt co-ordinator Paul Shapcott. His number two Damien Bryson is flying the Alexa Mini.

Kubrick Respect - 'Strike Back' 22/10/18

It doesn't happen often that one hits the seminal slate number and even better if the location and lighting happen to be faintly Kubrickian.

The Mighty Wallbreaker - 'Strike Back' 22/10/18

Why is the Wallbreaker Wall Spreader so hard to find in the UK? Surely one of the simplest, strongest and least damaging ways to hang lamps when needing to span a wide area.

Mirror Shafts - 'Strike Back' 22/10/18

For a low key, low ceilinged interior I wanted long shafts of light without the set being buried in a forest of flags to cut the light. Source 4s into 4x4 mirrors did the trick.

Build Your Own Shafts - 'Strike Back' 22/10/18

Any shape, any size; in this instance cut into a sheet of Lee 216 Full White Diffusion.

Bowling Shoe Cam - 'Strike Back' 22/10/18

Camera operator Steve Murray is always looking for artful ways to hide GoPros for a stunt. The jury's still out on this one.

Traveling Rig - 'Strike Back' 22/10/18

This was for a high speed run down narrow dirt roads beneath low overhanging palm fronds. Any type of tracking vehicle would have been too impractical, restrictive because of height and speed, and time consuming. The decision was made to shoot practically but the van interior was very dark, the outside was bright and there was dialogue and action between six passengers in the back, the driver and his accomplice. All the lighting had to be run off a small portable genny but it had to be punchy enough. The rig had to be secure enough to sustain fast driving along a bumpy track. The grips and electricians delivered in spades and displayed admirable ingenuity mounting the genny even though it did cause a puncture to the front tyre! The key side was lit with 2 x 400W HMI Joker Bugs, the fill side with 2 x Arri Skypanel S30s, a 200W HMI Compact Fresnel was positioned over the front windscreen and finally a Fomex Flexible LED was taped to the ceiling inside for interior ambience.

Look! No Lamp - 'Strike Back' 22/10/18

What's that coming through the frame? M90? No, and it doesn't get any better than the sun, especially when its presence and path are guaranteed day in, day out. The sun is reflected off a hard silver reflector board and diffused through Lee 252 Eighth White Diffusion.

Even Sunlight - 'Strike Back' 22/10/18

Simple and effective even shafts of sunlight for an interior. Five M90s, half spot, each lamp exactly the same height, tilt angle and angle to the building.

Day for Evening - 'Strike Back' 22/08/18

This was for an extended sequence shot over three days and was scripted to start at dusk and transition to night. A main feature of the location was the large courtyard pictured below. My initial idea was to silk it and net it but I knew that that would not cut down the light levels enough for the tungsten lighting in the courtyard to read as suitably eveninglike. The cost of using additional heavier nets would have been prohibitive. Trusty key grip Suri Ramasamy came up with an economical and practical solution - garden net for protecting your prize fruits from those pesky squirrels! Available at your local garden centre for next to nothing and the perfect two stops of light loss for filming purposes.

Night - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

We've hardly done any night exteriors but this was a big one. 9kw hybrid baloon in the street and 18K Arrimax on a cherry picker at the far end. Not that much lighting actually but there was a lot of ground to cover from one end of the street to the other so the mantra of 'one big light far away' applied well in this instance.

 

Rickshaw Car PoV - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

For the classic 'rabbit caught in the headlamps' pov shot of a person about to be run over, the rickshaw dolly with a par can mounted either side of the seat did the trick. Camera operator Steve Murray was so impressed with this rickshaw specially built for him by key grip Suri Ramasamy, that he will be shipping it back to England at the end of the job.

Lighting Through a Fan - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

Yes I know; it's a pretty corny lighting effect but hey, in the right set and with the appropriate action, it still looks good. Always nice to be able to give a nod to Ridley Scott and Alan Parker. Arri M40 full spot through the fan blades.

Ultramini Mini - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

Alexa Mini in its most compact configuration stripped down to its bare minimum for a hand held fight scene. Camera operator Steve Murray modeling the latest designs in battery belts.

Gobo - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

A neat gobo effect created by joining two cukolorises side together to simulate the effect of light shining through the metal latticework.

Fomex Flexible LED Light - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

I know that these Fomex LEDs have been around for a while but I had never used them before. Great for cars as they can be rolled up and pinched in between the sun visor and roof liner or rolled up into the instrument binnacle. They are incredibly bright; much brighter than the equivalent sized Litegear Litemat. In a low key environment I put ND 9 over them. Here's gaffer Maran Subramanian. Nice eye light...and that's a Hong Kong light under the air vent.

Strazzed! - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

If you are familiar with this blog before you'll know the meaning of 'Strazzed'. If not, scroll down to the entry on 31/03/18 where the term is explained.

Cocout Cam - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

One of the less successful ways of disguising a camera. Even in an 18mm super wide shot, the first thing the DIT said on viewing the footage was "Why is that Go Pro in shot and what's it doing in a coconut"?

Camera Protection - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

This is a really nifty and simple piece of equipment designed by the Malaysian grips department courtesy of key grip Suri Ramasamy. In situations when blank rounds are being fired close to camera, it fully protects the camera and camera operator's upper body and head in a light weight, quick to rig package that leaves the operator completely unecumbered to operate the shot in any way he or she chooses. Here's Steve Murray at work.

Hong Kong Light - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

Simple, versatile and very effective, the Hong Kong light is a self contained LED tube light with internal battery power. The favoured lighting instrument of Hong Kong based DPs it comes in daylight and tungsten, two foot and one foot and with a six stepped dimmer so you always know the output level by counting the clicks. They are lightweight and stick up anywhere with Black Tack without trailing leads, ballasts etc...

Reflectors - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

A pleasure to get reqacquainted with the Malaysian lighting crew's set of mirrors having enjoyed using them in 2015 on 'Indian Summers'. They come in in all shapes and sizes.

Holi Festival - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

It all started here with immaculately arranged dishes of coloured cornstarch before descending into madness. Camera operator Steve Murray and camera taking one for the team. Jorge Luengas, 2nd Unit DoP, clearly smiling at having avoided the deluge.

'Strike Back' Crew - 30/07/18

Our fantastic Malaysian crew but too many to list here. This photo will be published in the upcoming edition of British Cinematographer Magazine with a full list of everybody's names. Key personnel from left to right as follows: Jorge Luengas-2nd Unit Dop (in brown T shirt), Maran Subramanian-Gaffer, Steve Murray-A Camera Operator, Tim Palmer BSC-Director of Photography, Meg de Koenig-B Camera Focus Puller, Suri Ramasamy-Key Grip, Lim Woei Hoa-A Camera Loader (kneeling with clapper board), James Mathai-A Camera Focus Puller (kneeling beneath camera).

Wall Breaker Lighting Support - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

The Wall Spreader made by Panther, fondly known as the Wall Breaker for it's crushing force ability to knock out a wall in the hands of the unitiated, is a far superior piece of equipment to the 'Pole Cat' and much less destructive than scaffold tube.

Movi Remote on Quad Bike - 'Strike Back' 30/07/18

Good tracking vehicle across sand and for close quarters car chase.

Strike Back - 30/07/18

Lots to report since filming began in May. Now prepping block 4 with director Mark Everest.

Strike Back - 12/05/18

Prepping now in Malaysia for the new HBO/Cinemax series of Strike Back with director Paul Wilmshurst. We are back in Penang with many of our talented and hard working Indian Summers crewmembers.

Killing Eve is a Hit - 12/05/18

Killing Eve, currently showing on BBC America, has proven itself a runaway success. Congratulations to director Jon East, with whom I collaborated on episodes 3, 4 and 5. Thank you to producer Colin Wratten and everybody at Sid Gentle Films for inviting me on board. The show has attracted very positive press so far. Vanity Fair and Vox magazine went behind the scenes on episodes directed by Jon East.

Muddy Puddles - 31/03/18

Peppa Pig would have been in her element. After a night and day of nonstop rain the sun came through for the final slate.

Vermeer - 31/03/18

I'm supposed to light scenes to look like a Vermeer not be in them. Photo courtesy of production designer Arwel Jones.

Treecam - 31/03/18

Colder than it looks - 31/03/18

The water does look inviting but don't be deceived. The Beast from the East had just blown through and the water temp was 3 degrees C. A very tidy splashbag setup.

Strazzed! - 31/03/18

Named after the great DoP Ivan Strasburg, 'strazzing' means shoving, ramming, balancing, leaning, propping up any piece of grip or lighting equipment using the natural environment and any bit of debris or such like lying around. No stands or conventional grip mounting equipment allowed!

Wacky Races - 31/03/18

B Team honing their geared heads skills. Focus puller Elhein de Wet the winner by a country mile completing the circuit in 19.5 seconds.

 

Down the Drain - 31/03/08

Neat rig for a view up through the plug hole.

Fireplace Flicker Arri Skypanels - 31/03/18

Using the built in pre-programmed flicker effect setting available with the new firmware update on Arri Skypanels. It is criminally easy and very effective.

Slider up the Stairs - 31/03/18

One way of tracking up stairs.

Recent Weather - 31/03/18

Taken five minutes apart.

Flicker Box - 31/03/18

A very elegant and naturalistic way to create a realistic flicker. PKE Lighting made up these boxes. The sparks approve - gaffer Mark 'Hutcho' Hutchings in front.

Mantis Rickshaw - 31/03/18

Steadicam operator Paul Edwards on a Mantis rickshaw dolly from Optical Supports. Steadicam attached to a Garfield mount.

Lay Flat Smoke - 'Dr Who' 02/03/18

Real SFX are doing an outstanding job laying smoke in the large woodland locations we have been filming in. Hundreds of yards of tube, hidden from the eye, surround each set. Even when the wind picks up there are enough sources spread about to provide even smoke coverage. The results are fantastic, especially when the sun comes out.

Tungsten Fill Outside - 'Dr Who' 02/03/18

It's hot, it's heavy and it draws a lot of power but there's an unquantifiable magic about tungsten light outside. No HMI can match the colour quality and broad punch of a Dino.

Periscope Lens - 'Dr Who' 02/03/18

My old favourite, the Optex Excellence, comes into its own again for a low angle shot from within a freshly dug grave. Key grip John 'Robbo' Robinson on the left and camera operator Mark McQuoid at the camera.

Arachnophobics Look Away Now! - 'Dr Who' 02/03/18

Camera operator Mark McQuoid facing up to a furry friend and getting into the swing of things with his T-shirt.

Hello 'Dr Who' - 02/03/18

It's an honour to be part of the new Dr Who team with the new Doctor. Thank you to director Sallie Aprahamian, producer Alex Mercer, creator Chris Chibnall and everybody at BBC Wales.

Farewell 'Lucky Man' 01/03/18

A big thank you to director Phil John, producer Ken Horn and everybody at Carnival for inviting me on board the good ship 'Lucky Man'.

Solid Track - 'Lucky Man' 01/03/18

Now that's what I call a well laid track. From left to right: Nonchalant director Phil John with his back to camera, 1st Ad Mark Hedges, DoP Tim Palmer BSC, grip Dave Rankin beavering away in the background.

Improv Gripping - 'Lucky Man' 01/03/18

As is always the case with a small guerilla splinter unit, the director will tell us that he only needs sticks and a slider for the shot. I asked Dave Rankin to throw on the 6' slider just in case there's a longer move but all the gear had to be walked down from a fair distance away. At the location the director requested a very low track. Poor old Dave; no pags, no wedges, no appleboxes. Being the ever resourceful grip he improvised with Costa cups and bits of masonry. Congratulations to Dave for his handiwork but he was most embarrassed.

The Mighty Thames - 'Lucky Man' 01/03/18

What a wonderful opportunity this has been to enjoy our great river in some of the most beautiful dusk and dawn light, not to mention the fabulous views when catching up on script amendments after lunch.

Steadicam on Quad Bike - 'Lucky Man' 01/03/18

Camera operator John Piggott in full Hannibal Lecter mode flying his rig off a quad bike for fast tracking shots over rough ground. Note the Wave horizon leveller to keep rock solid horizontals.

Skypanels - 'Lucky Man' 01/03/18

Arri Skypanels, judiciously used, are all you need for a day interior. Here used with Chimeras and Lee 216 frames.

LED Light Sticks - 'Lucky Man' 01/03/18

For a set that was lit entirely with practicals, the characters around the table required a little fill light. LiteGear LED light sticks worked well hidden behind the floral arrangement.

Royal Naval College - 'Lucky Man' 01/03/18

A crisp winter's day at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. On the split-level dolly from left to right: B camera operator Martin Foley, A camera operator John Piggott, Key Grip Dave Rankin.

Probe Rides Again - 'Lucky Man' 01/03/18

The Optex Excellence. Good for roulette wheels. Camera operator John Piggott in control.

Boat Rig - 'Lucky Man' 01/03/18

Chapman G3 Stabilised Remote Head for speedboat chase rigged by key grip Dave Rankin.

Clear Glass 5K - 'Lucky Man' 01/03/18

Replace the fresnel lens with clear glass to get hard shadows and the pattern of rain on window panes.

Culinary Treats - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Farewell 'Killing Eve'. Thanks to producer Colin Wratten, director Jon East, first block DoP Julian Court BSC and everybody at Sid Gentle for an amazing shooting experience. What a final day! Sushi for lunch and my all time favourite breakfast: Poached eggs, smoked haddock, grilled tomatoes, buttered toast and marmalade.

Celebration Slates - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

2nd AC Lawrence Watson's famous celebration slates. More to come!

Periscope Very Low Angle - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Optex Excellence gets the shot without digging a hole for the camera.

Barrow Cam - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Camera Operator Joe Russell and Key Grip Warwick Drucker settled on this particular mode of transport for an improvised tracking shot across rough ground. A big thank you to the sparks for lending us their barrow.

Wave on Steadicam - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Excellent use of the Wave to keep the horizon level on lateral steadicam moves especially when not following any action.

Russian Arm - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Director Jon East always hard at work planning his shots. Camera operator Joe Russell at the controls.

Horizontal Periscope - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

For those really small spaces where it simply isn't possible to fit the camera, the Optex Excellence in horizontal periscope mode will get the shot.

Quick Getaway - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Camera operator Joe Russell setting the controls for a rapid pan. A superb combined effort between key grip Warwick Drucker, Joe Russell and the Movi to execute a tricky shot with one rehearsal and one take.

Inspired by Hoyte - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Ever since seeing this setup from 'Spectre' in American Cinematographer magazine, I've been wanting to try out Hoyte van Hoytema's ND frame technique for day exterior driving scenes. I finally got my chance. Thank you Hoyte. It worked brilliantly! Not sure what lighting you used but the Arri Skypanel 120 worked a treat for us.

 

More Big Tungsten - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Dinos for that late afternoon low evening sun look.

Big Tungsten - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Gaffer Tony Wilcock got me onto a tungsten roll on this job, gently reminding me of how we used to do things on 'Bob and Rose'. Tony was absolutely right as always and his ability to think big delivers all kinds of wonderful surprises. It was an inspired choice to run eight light mini brutes along the upper gallery. They're small, light, more than punchy enough even with 1/2 CTB and very quick to drop out of the way when the camera is looking up. St John's Parish Church on Church Row in Hampstead is surprisingly large inside. The eight lights combined with Dinos coming through the lower windows produced a lovely overall look; gentle hardness with a punch that was evenly spread across the entire space.

 

Sausage Cam - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

The pictures pretty much speak for themselves. Optex Excellence in periscope mode and 10mm optic. Camera operator Joe Russell talks Kielbasa with standby props man Graham Robinson.

Disco Probe - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

A neat way to skim across the turntable and stylus and reveal the club night beyond. Director Jon East at left, looking on.

New Greensman - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

B Camera Operator Justin Hawkins assuming alternative duties as a greens person. Green fingered Justin was actually constructing a very elaborate bit of foreground to shoot through.

How the Mighty Fall - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

There's clearly a message here. Someone probably thought I was gettting too big for my boots and stuck me somewhere where I would know my place. There's a significance to the loo brush too but you'll have to watch the show to find out what.

Camera Crew Berlin - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

A happy crew. From left to right: Director of Photography - Tim Palmer BSC, A Focus Puller - Richard Bradbury, A Camera Operator - Joe Russell, A Clapper Loader - Lawrence Watson, Key Grip - Warwick Drucker, B Camera Trainee - Georgina Cook, Grip Trainee - Jack Jackson, Grip Assistant - Sean Kelly, B Grip - Ed Lancaster, A Camera Trainee - Liam Rough, B Camera Operator - Justin Hawkins, B Focus Puller - Kriss Dallimore.

Fierce Concentration - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Focus puller Richard Bradbury and camera operator Joe Russell, doing what they do best.

How Did it Fit? - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Ever resourceful grip Warwick Drucker can shoehorn his GF crane into literally any spot. Pictured from left to right: Grip Warwick Drucker, Camera Operator Joe Russell, Focus Puller Richard Bradbury.

Custom Ring Light - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Gaffer Tony Wilcock pictured on the right, designed this custom ring light to fit perfectly over the lens barrel of the Optex 14mm lens. The shot required a circular highlight in the eyes but because of what the camera was doing, the light and the lens had to be locked together. There couldn't be any space between the lip of the lens and the lamp housing.

Tricky Dancefloor Shot - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

The Movi Remote was the best way to achieve a 270 deg track around the actresses face with the camera only inches away. A simple soft top light with an LED panel providing fill from below and kept just out of frame.

Lucky Location Berlin - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

For an extensive night exterior chase at a major intersection in Berlin there was an apartment building overlooking both streets with a fortuituously placed wraparound roof terrace. It provided an ideal platform to rig lights especially as there was nowhere to position a cherry picker without severly compromising the coverage.

Wall Breaker - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Panther's 'Wall Spreader' working well for an exterior lighting rig.

Big Lighting Berlin - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Cassiopeia in Berlin is a huge area of derelict warehouses and open ground. We had to light an area of about a quarter mile by a hundred yards. Single source lamps would have been hopeless here and thanks as always to gaffer Tony Wilcock thinking BIG, we went with two half Wendys and a full Dino on the cherrypicker. It was exactly the right decision. The spread was perfectly even from end to end.

 

Camera Traps - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Every inch matters. Focus puller Richard Bradbury clearly happy not to be in the cupboard with camera operator Joe Russell.

Bend Ze Knees - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Camera operator Joe Russell's mountaineering strength proves its worth on shots like these. Director Jon East demonstrating how to offer the phone to camera for best effect.

The Best Low Loader Ever - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17  

Supplied by The Moving Cine Company in Berlin, it comes with narrow gauge track around three sides with a remote control dolly. I've never seen anything like it before. It worked brilliantly and was the first time in twenty years filming that I (and I can speak for everyone else on the crew) actually enjoyed a day on a low loader.

Optex Excellence Day 1 - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Camera operator Joe Russell's first day with the Optex and clearly enjoying the experience.

Century, T-Rex, Optex Excellence Shootout - 'Killing Eve'

Due to availability issues we used three different borescope/periscope lens relay systems in the first week before being able to keep the Optex Excellence. The Century system uses traditional cine lenses on the extension tube so there is a choice of optic. This provides a speed advantage as the lens is a true T4 - fast by borescope standards - and the film lenses impart the most cinematic look. We did experience problems with dust particles inside the optic that could not be remedied at short notice and the near focus is not as close as that of a completely integrated system. The T-Rex came along next. It definitely lives up to its name and is defined by its monstrous size. Optically it is faultless but is hampered by the T8.0 maximum stop. Finally our old friend the Optex Excellence. It is the most perfectly designed system: quick to set up, very few moving parts, well balanced and a true T4.5.

Zed Plate - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Normally just utilised to offset the camera but is very useful when needing to be lower on a slider.

Carpetlight Uses - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

You'll never notice camera operator Joe Russell blending in with the scenery; promise... Note the Optex Excellence in periscope mode getting the widest field of view in a minute changing cubicle.

Carpetlight - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

The Carpetlight flexible LED panels are an excellent design and proved very versatile in cars and small spaces. Only seem to be available in Germany at present. Any UK/US distributors?

Wave 1 Horizon Leveller - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Creative use of the Wave1 Horizon Leveller in a very small location. There was not enough room for the dolly but the director wanted to track with the actor who starts the scene with dialogue in a seated position then gets up and delivers lines on the move, finishing his speech in a standing position. The director did not want the camera to tilt up too much at the end, which necessitated some kind or rise. Camera operator Joe Russell and key grip Warwick Drucker rigged the 6' slider higher at one end and mounted the Wave1 on the head to keep the horizon level for the length of the move.

Hexatron Crane Base - 'Killing Eve' 01/12/17

Hexatron Crane Positioning Vehicle with Super Technocrane and Movi wireless remote head. Nifty footwork by Warwick Drucker!

'Killing Eve' - Movi Remote on Tracking Vehicle

Where old Citroens go to die - or get a new lease of life as a tracking vehicle. The smart proprietors at The Moving Cine Company in Berlin understood that Citroen's 1970s state of the art suspension system would provide the smoothest ride. No overblown gaz guzzling Silverados here. In the top picture key grip Warwick Drucker is attending to the Movi. In the second picture camera operator Joe Russell looking to camera and focus puller Richard Bradbury on the left.

 

Killing Eve' - Movi Remote on 'Black Arm' Pt 2

Flowcine Black Arm on low angle track across cobbles. 2nd grip, Ed Lancaster, at the helm.

'Killing Eve' - Movi Remote on 'Black Arm' Pt 1

Flowcine Black Arm used on a walk and talk when too gusty for steadicam.

'Killing Eve' - Movi Wireless Remote 01/12/12

Coming in to shoot the middle three episodes of new drama series 'Killing Eve', I inherited a fantastic remote system devised by first block cinematographer Julian Court BSC alongside camera operator Joe Russell, focus puller Richard Bradbury and key grip Warwick Drucker and supplied by Fava Rental Ltd. The Alexa Mini is mounted on a Movi which in turn is fixed to a wireless remote head controlled by wheels. It's a completely stabilised system and works effortlessly in every situation that a stabilised head is commonly used. The small physical size of the system demands primes or an ultra light weight zoom. That is the only restriction. The remote Movi proved as invaluable on a dolly in small spaces -  shown below - as it did on a Technocrane.

'Killing Eve' - Studio Rig 01/12/17

Gaffer Tony Wilcock's rig in the studio on 'Killing Eve'. Space lights are Arri Lightflos diffused with a belly of Depron. Proper use of 'hospital corners' for gelling the key lights correctly. Good work!

'Living The Dream' 9.00pm Sky One 02/11/17

Principal Photography Begins - 'Killing Eve' 28/08/17

Filming has started on the new BBC America series 'Killing Eve' starring Sandra Oh and produced by Sid Gentle. It's a treat to be teamed up again  with director Jon East, 1st AD Marcus Caitlin, camera operator Joe Russell and gaffer Tony Wilcock.

The Last Slate - 'Living The Dream' 23/07/17

Farewell Savannah and an enormous thank you to my incredibly hard working, talented and passionate crew. I hope we all meet again on series two.

Demob Happy - 'LTD' 23/07/17

Penultimate day of filming and we're all looking very cheery. On the dolly, Director of Photography Tim Palmer at camera with B Camera focus puller Alan Newcomb. Under the flag, camera operator John C. Lehman with director Philippa Langdale.

Tough Spots - 'LTD' 23/07/17

Spread those legs wider John! Dolly grip Chris Koch was definitely trying to stitch you up here. Another ignominious camera position for camera operator John C. Lehman as he finds himself in the only place he really doesn't want to be. Finally, gaffer Steven Thompson dives in to find the centre of the beam.

League of Nations - 'LTD' 23/07/17

It's always like that with flags and nets. Once you get going there's no stopping. The camo net stretched over a 4x4 frame was a good starting point.

Tango Head - 'LTD' 23/07/17

Good use of the Tango Head when there is not enough room to spread the tripod legs sufficiently to get the top plate level.

Transporting the Crane - 'LTD' 23/07/17

One way to get the crane from A to B. Saves having to pack it up and rebuild it. Teamsters don't only drive the big trucks!

Green Screen Poor Man's Process - 'LTD' 23/07/17

A few lighting gags here.

Burying a Mini - 'LTD' 23/07/17

For the the old favourite driving over the camera gag.

Alexa Mini on Dashboard - 'LTD' 23/07/17

Quick 'get you out of trouble' rig if you have to get a bit more onto the eye line of the person driving and wish to avoid car mounts. Camera operator John C. Lehman operates the shot with ease.

The Lorax - 'LTD' 23/07/17

Christened the Lorax after the Dr. Seuss character, this is a prototype LED designed and built by gaffer Steve Thompson. This version is only daylight but a bi-colour model is in the works. It is  fully dimmable and at its brightest the ouput is easily equivalent to a Maxi Brute's, yet being LED, the Lorax will run comfortably off a domestic household supply. A miracle lamp!

Top Shot - 'LTD' 23/07/17

Our remote head developed a fault so we were unable to use the jib arm. Dolly grip Chris Koch improvised with this impressive Ubangi rig off the Chapman Hustler dolly running laterally on two pieces of speed rail.

Smoke at Night - 'LTD' 23/07/17

Blessed with calm conditions for a night shoot, the special effects smoke brought out the shafts of light in all their glory. Special effects wizard, Raymond Talley hid a good quarter mile of perforated smoke tubes around the set. The live oaks dripping with Spanish moss produced a wonderfully gothic gobo effect - clearly of no interest to anyone in video village.

Flying Silks - 'LTD' 23/07/17

Key Grip Dave Spencer had an innovative way of rigging large silks in the tree canopy. Use a crossbow to fire the shotbags and line over the high branches and then haul up the rags. A matter of minutes.

 

Umbrella Ball - 'LTD' 23/07/17

Gaffer Steve Thompson's 4kw tungsten umbrella ball with the interior fabric painted daylight blue.

Visitor - 'LTD' 23/07/17

Even the cicadas want to look at the monitors these days. She's beautifully lit, if I don't say so myself.

Tight Fit - 'LTD' 21/06/17

Director Saul Metzstein looking a little dubious about the crane's ability to extricate itself from its contorted starting point. The bucket had millimetres of clearance as it exited the doorway. Of course the shot worked a treat as you can see with the end frame of standby props cleaning the sunroof. You wouldn't do this to your Previa would you?

'LED' Light Mats - 'LTD' 21/06/17

The supersized yank tank picture car makes it a breeze to hide the Litegear LiteMats. They even work in a golf buggy. Focus puller Richard H Lacy on the left and camera operator John C Lehman behind camera.

'Setting up for Night' - 'LTD' 08/06/17

A simple night light setup. 10K at the end of the dock. One of gaffer Steve Thompson's versatile umbrella balls on a Blackbird stand to the right. Who needs cherry pickers and balloons?

'Esther Williams Routine' - 'LTD' 08/06/17

'Sunset Control' - 'LTD' 08/06/17

'Which is Which' - 'LTD' 08/06/17

Lovely old LTM 6K on the left. The fresnel is almost as large as the 18K's on the right. These 6's are as rare as hen's teeth apparently. This was the only one in the southern USA and came from Texas. The Blackbird 220 lighting stands handle the weight and any terrain effortlessly.

'Babs' - Coming Soon 30/04/17

Big Flag and Bounce - 'Living The Dream' 28/04/17

The grips are ready for anything here. For an unscheduled improvised dialogue scene in a car, my impoverished notion of rigging a 12x12 on stands either side of the car to cut reflections was pooh-poohed by key grip Dave Spencer. "Look what I've got instead", he says and in comes the 'fly swatter'. It delivered a fantastic bounce for a scene at the end of the day too.

Prism on Jib Arm - 'Living The Dream' 27/04/17

Great work from the grips and camera department building this rig in record time for an ultra low angle track forward. Our HotHead has certainly been round the block. It works perfectly but must be one of Richard Loncraine and Peter Hannan's (see last entry at bottom of page on link) earliest incarnations of the device judging by the design and lettering. From right to left, dolly grip Chris Koch manning the dolly, key grip Dave Spencer behind the crane keeping an eagle eye on proceedings and gaffer Steve Thompson in conversation with his chief electrician Kevin.

Not so Fast - 'Living The Dream' 26/04/17

Hang on a minute. We were promised sunshine all day long. Might as well have shot this scene at Wentworth. Note the Arri Skypanel S30-C hand basher.

 

'Living The Dream' - For real!

First shot of the day as the sun rises over Skidaway Island, GA. Dolly grip Chris Koch putting the finishing touches to the track while camera operator John C Lehman looks out at the dolphins gamboling lazily in the creek.

'Living The Dream' - Principal photography begins 24/04/17

Filming has now started in Savannah, Georgia on 'Living the Dream' for Big Talk/Sky. Saul Metzstein is directing episodes 1-3 and Philippa Langdale, episodes 4-6.

Lighting Techniques - Dedolight Octodome Panaura

Dedolight kindly invited me to present a workshop on drama based lighting techniques using the Dedolight Octodome Panaura soft light. The program was skilfully filmed and edited by Dedo stalwart, Rick Young. Dave Morphy at Cirrolite generously provided crew, additional lighting equipment and use of the company's state-of-the-art studio facilities. Click on the following links to view Part 1 and Part 2.

Final Shot 'Hamlet Revenant' - 15/03/17

Emma clearly doing all the work, now assuming operating duties under Ken's guidance. I'm just being an idle bystander enjoying the panoramic feature of the iphone.

The Long Walk Home 'Hamlet Revenant' - 15/03/17

Emma Friend carrying the camera back to the van after catching the last glorious rays of a west coast sunset.

Director Stand-In 'Hamlet Revenant' - 15/03/17

I did say it was a skeleton crew. Director Ken McMullen standing in to set the shot. It was a long walk back around the lake to check the frame!
 

'Hamlet Revenant' - 15/03/17

As a precursor to principal photography, director Ken McMullen took a small crew to a secret location on the west coast of Ireland to film scenes for the upcoming feature, 'Hamlet Revenant', a retelling of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', starring Ian McKellen and Gabriel Byrne. The camera department consisted of myself, focus puller Emma Friend and a Sony FSW-7.

'Tina and Bobby' Airs Tonight - 13/01/17

'Tina and Bobby' begins its three part run on ITV1 tonight, 13th January, at 9.00pm.