soupkitchen Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I keep debating wether to buy the shooters guide from here but wanted to ask some questions of you all. I'm not trying to start anything and will probably end up buying it purely to support the site but anyway here are my questions. Have many people on here bought it and do they find it useful? Are there any film (rather than video) professionals with an understanding of anamorphics on here and have they bought it and has it brought anything new to the table for them? I just worry a bit what I'll be getting when the Blade Runner aspect ratio example is out by .31 (or .46 for 70mm) Anyway, just asking. I love this forum and it has been very informative and helpful so far so, be nice to me ;) Cheers, Toby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Cunningham Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I think I know what you're referring to. That 2.66:1 example image from Blade Runner, when this isn't an aspect ratio appropriate for any presentation of the film, amiright? I'm pretty sure Andrew just cropped a screen grab to illustrate this unusual, but still pleasing, aspect ratio that you get simply as a mechanical result of combining the 1.5x options out there with the fact of our current 16:9 taking limitation. In fact the externally seen picture (external to the guide, seen elsewhere on the site) I'm referencing is taken from the section of the guide that does this, placed in between an example showing the mechanical result of combining a 2x lens with 16:9 (3.55:1) and one of the 1.33x lenses and 16:9, which only coincidently (and therefore lucky for us) produces the most common aspect ratio of ~2.35:1 Using the Blade Runner imagery to illustrate these examples, rather than something unfamiliar from someone's VIMEO test footage, was an author's choice to make the math more relatable. At least that's what I took from it. Regardless, I find myself referring back to both of his guides all the time. In the case of the anamorphic guide it's worth it just for the research he's already done on virtually all of the types of lenses that pop up on ebay, each with their own personalities. This guide could potentially save someone thousands of dollars. However truthful the sellers might be this guide allows a potential buyer to skip the costly experimentation and potential disillusionment or disappointment. soupkitchen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverCranked Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 The answer is " Yes " ! This guide is as useful as they get - wait a second - there isn't any other guide on anamorphic lenses ( adapters ) out there. I come from 16mm ( Bolex - Arri ) and I do remember shooting anamorphic was for the people with blue blood back then. Even if you had the budget to hire a set of lenses then the distribution had a tough time to sell it because not many end users had the matching optics to project it and for sure your picture was off the chart for VCR at least in original format. One advice: the advise that you get from the film guys like Kubric, Ridley Scot or Rodriguez is not going to do you good aside from the academics of film making. In low budget ( read it no budget ) film making the anamorphic shooting is a DIY at it's best and that is when Andrews book shines like gold. Unless you like to go through many combinations of cameras and taking lenses and so called anamorphic adapters that turn to expensive paper weights, you do need to read and then often refer to this guide over and over again. Most often you have to start from the taking lens ( aspherical ) and find matching camera and suitable anamorphic for it. Most importantly for the good of the great do not hesitate to intercut a few cropped aspherical shots with your anamorphic shots. Don't get too much worked out about the math. Take this guide as a one of Oraclec's cookies, I promise, by the time you get done eating it, you'll feel right as rain. There are a lot to learn and manage. You end up cutting many corners and you learn to be happy with artistic compromises. That said, look at the lineup of the glass used for shooting " MANDORLA ". That is the next level of film making for a lot of us. While you are gathering a fire power like that for shooting you must make sure your story, screen play, audio, lighting, locations, cast, crew, grip, transportation, insurance, catering and most importantly " DISTRIBUTION " is taken care of. Otherwise it all turns to buying expensive adult toys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Cunningham Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 ... most importantly " DISTRIBUTION " is taken care of. Otherwise it all turns to buying expensive adult toys. You kinda lost it there, in the context of your being specific to DIY, indie, etc. If you're waiting to have distribution "taken care of" then that means 99.999% of the time you aren't going to be making your movie. As an independent you do everything you can to make the movie. Distribution isn't a guarantee and it's a job comparably as difficult (if not more so) than shooting a film, which isn't even most of the work involved in arriving at a completed picture. Distribution and even comments regarding script and story should largely be left out of technical discussions specific to the craft of lensing an image and equipment. They are their own thing. Trying to impose some kind of confluence does more damage than good, usually, to the S/N ratio of forums such as this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverCranked Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 You kinda lost it there, in the context of your being specific to DIY, indie, etc. If you're waiting to have distribution "taken care of" then that means 99.999% of the time you aren't going to be making your movie. As an independent you do everything you can to make the movie. Distribution isn't a guarantee and it's a job comparably as difficult (if not more so) than shooting a film, which isn't even most of the work involved in arriving at a completed picture. Distribution and even comments regarding script and story should largely be left out of technical discussions specific to the craft of lensing an image and equipment. They are their own thing. Trying to impose some kind of confluence does more damage than good, usually, to the S/N ratio of forums such as this. ... i'm sorry, I should've mentioned " unless you are independently wealthy " or " unless doing all the gear purchases as an expensive hobby ". Perhaps I shouldn't have used the cliche industry phrase " distribution " in this context. The point is if we go anal about all the details of making something without consideration to the consumer ( commercially or not ) - we are just playing - arn't we !? Can you imagine if advanced members of forums specifically forums like this could encourage other members to be as aware of other elements of visual story telling as they are with the " cameras and lenses " !? Vimeo is covered with nothing more than tests and one shot scenes with no story and occasionally they are called " FILMS " ! That is the result of too much push towards shooting for sake of shooting and not for storytelling. I think this forum should be the one that cares about all aspects of film making. For heaven's sakes we are talking about anamorphic shooting here. If someone gets discouraged by being reminded of the rest of the challenges in this craft, perhaps this is not their craft to begin with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Cunningham Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 He was asking about whether or not the guide was worth it and voiced a specific concern that was giving him pause. You should have stopped at "yes", IMO, the rest was off-point and kinda all over the place, not particularly helpful. Aside from a handful of folks on this forum the audience is mostly folks with an expensive hobby. soupkitchen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverCranked Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 He was asking about whether or not the guide was worth it and voiced a specific concern that was giving him pause. You should have stopped at "yes", IMO, the rest was off-point and kinda all over the place, not particularly helpful. Aside from a handful of folks on this forum the audience is mostly folks with an expensive hobby. They all read the same scripture and then ended up killing each other under the order of their newfound religions with the name of the same god and his commands. Just read his post. He is asking for help and he deserve more than a one word " YES ". Stop looking at members through nostrils and consider them more than folks with expensive hobbies and spread some wisdom around here. Yet again you are entitled to your opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Cunningham Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 ...meh, no delete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverCranked Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 ...meh, no delete. Is this the best you can offer to this topic !? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Cunningham Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Is this the best you can offer to this topic !? Actually no, I answered his question and offered "wisdom" to you but you proved your own point why that's often a waste of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverCranked Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Actually no, I answered his question and offered "wisdom" to you but you proved your own point why that's often a waste of time. Here, this is your wisdom : - #6 . BurnetRhoades said : " Aside from a handful of folks on this forum the audience is mostly folks with an expensive hobby." - # 8 . BurnetRhoades said : " ...meh, no delete. " Sooner or later you have to start facing your realities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Cunningham Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Here, this is your wisdom : - #6 . BurnetRhoades said : " Aside from a handful of folks on this forum the audience is mostly folks with an expensive hobby." - # 8 . BurnetRhoades said : " ...meh, no delete. " Sooner or later you have to start facing your realities. By this time I was already frustrated with you. You want reality, everything after the first paragraph in your first response to this thread was bullshit and everything I've written after it was a response to said bullshit. Now, if English is a second language or something then I'll say, "sorry, I'm being too hard on you, you're handicapped from making a good point here." Otherwise, you failed to address the actual query of the original author so that you could go on some kind of rant, either original and from your own head or cobbled together from other stuff you read on the internet somewhere (which may have also been a bloated, non-answer to someone's specific topic), because you wanted to participate more than you could actually contribute. There. Face your realities. Or would you like me to give you line item "WTF are you talking about?" replies to your first post here? I was going to do that but then thought it might come off rude so I just offered a gentle nudge to stay on topic instead. My mistake. There's a reality for me. nahua 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverCranked Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Toby, Get the guide, read it well and keep it handy for quick cross referencing. Ask for help from wonderful and experience members in here. Work on your craft and make sure you understand there is a lot to make a good visual story telling that owning and knowing just one or two or many pieces of gear. And I assure you the journey is going to be a wonderful one. Best of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony wilson Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 toby youze sounds lik a luky fella cos youse can reed and alls. i cant reeds or no right butt eye here der fotos are perty. if ya wants an old timers ad vices steer cleer of cattle you can not pick up. wat am sayin is avoid der big bitch bastard optics. dem big opticals just like a fat farm girl it feels mighty good when yer handlin her at first later you cryin in pain broke yer dick wid der girl and broke yer foot from droppin 5kg glass metal on yer toes big is a heap of pain fella eyeder way Sean Cunningham and brucker 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McC Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Toby, I bought the book, and I'm glad I did. It's certainly a small investment to make that may save you hundreds of dollars (or more) by helping you to find the right anamorphic and to avoid the wrong ones. And of course, we should help support the many hours of work Andrew has put into this site, which we all benefit from... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony wilson Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Toby, I bought the book, and I'm glad I did. It's certainly a small investment to make that may save you hundreds of dollars (or more) by helping you to find the right anamorphic and to avoid the wrong ones. And of course, we should help support the many hours of work Andrew has put into this site, which we all benefit from... huey fella what abouts some disrepect for mee as well i gives diss comunety hole heep of intelgence and eye donts get nose supprts all i get is tumble weed blowin tru der intranet cowboy ghost town. eye needs cash for booze aswell godamit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soupkitchen Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 See all this crap is why I usually avoid forums. Thanks Burnett for answering my questions. Slightly less thanks to OverCranked for initially answering my question then going on a rant about something un--asked for. Props to Tony for his always impeccable spelling. Sean Cunningham and nahua 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soupkitchen Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Oh and Fugue, thanks for bringing it back on topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McC Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 huey fella what abouts some disrepect for mee as well i gives diss comunety hole heep of intelgence and eye donts get nose supprts all i get is tumble weed blowin tru der intranet cowboy ghost town. eye needs cash for booze aswell godamit I bought a +0.5 diopter from you, sir. And I have recommended your other products as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony wilson Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I bought a +0.5 diopter from you, sir. And I have recommended your other products as well. not me sirs.. dats my busyness partner stan he in prison for imbezzlement and suduction of old age folks and fors sellin fake copies of diopters using milk bottle glass. eye am sorry if der is still milk inside your dieopter Sean Cunningham 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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