cinematography – Black Chip Collective

Jun 07 2017

To Buy Gear or Not to Buy Gear?

Film students are perpetually asking what the best production gear is to get at any given price point. Yet almost none of them stop to question whether or not they should be buying gear at all. Gear isn't automatically a good investment for anyone at any stage of their career; like computers, production gear typically depreciates in value rather quickly, frequently giving you between 2-5 years to make a return. Often renting makes much more sense but is significantly underutilized. We've listed out the pros and cons of buying gear for...

Mar 04 2017

“…infinite in its possibilities…”

Feb 22 2017

What the Show 3% Can Teach Us About Recruiting

The show 3% is a Brazilian Netflix series about a dystopian future where as the population comes of age, they compete in a series of trials to live in an offshore paradise. While the show boasts an engaging storyline and impressive visuals from director Cesar Charlone, cinematographer of "City of God", the thing that struck me most is the similarity of the trials in 3%, called "the process", to everyday systems in a modern job search. While "the process" in 3% is much more intense and brutal than a real...

Feb 10 2017

“Cinematography…”

"Cinematography, a military art. Prepare a film like a battle."-Robert Bresson...

Feb 03 2017

“A style…”

"A style is not a matter of camera angles or fancy footwork, it's an expression, an accurate expression of your particular opinion."-Karel Reisz...

Dec 21 2016

10 Production Tips for Better Green Screen Keys

Chroma keying software has made huge strides in recent years, but that’s no excuse for sloppy production work. Here are a few tips to keep up with the software advancements: 1) Resolution and FramingLet’s start with the obvious. You’re going to want as much visual information as possible. This means shooting at as high a res as possible and providing 4:4:4 files without color compression to your post team. In terms of framing don’t be afraid to shoot portrait or otherwise ignore every composition instinct you have- just make sure everything...

Nov 16 2016

Creating the Perfect Reel

You probably thought it as soon as you saw the title. There is no such thing as a perfect reel. And in a way, you’re right. Each person that sees the reel will have a different perspective on what makes a reel great. But if you know who is viewing your reel, you can make the perfect reel for them. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="630"] “Sure, I’ll consider hiring you. Do you do star-wipes? I love star-wipes”[/caption] First, let’s get this out of the way. When I say reel, I’m talking about work samples,...