Question: How did your interest in HD acquisition evolve ?

Williams: Quality, flexibility, “film” type adjustments and controls and price. Being a “film” person, I wasn’t really interested in much else technology wise, outside of a new film stock or a new film manipulation process, but back in 2001, a friend in video production mentioned to me that I should go see this new 24p camera from Panasonic. I’d heard of 24p cameras, but dismissed them because again, it wasn’t film. I was told that this new 24p camera acted more like a film camera than the others because of its off-speed capabilities and cine-gamma controls, and said I should check it out. That piqued my interest, but I couldn’t make it to the demo due to my schedule. But I had an infomercial shoot coming up that was supposed to have been shot on film, and the budget had been cut and we were faced with shooting on regular video, a prospect that didn’t work creatively for me with this subject matter. So I went to the producers and told them about this new camera that looked more like “film” than regular video cameras, and we should take a look at it. Again, I hadn’t used this camera, but I determined that this camera had to look different from a “regular” video camera--and if this project couldn’t be shot on film then this had to be the next best thing. The producers liked my idea and agreed to try it. Once I’d sold them on this idea, I had to call Panasonic for a crash course on the set-up and use of the camera, as it was then so new that even the rental houses didn’t know much about them. Doug Leighton at Panasonic spent a lot of time with me, explaining what I needed to know to go into the shoot with confidence. In the end, it turned out that everyone involved with the project was impressed with the camera and very happy with the product.

After that, since the camera had performed its duty of getting me a film look without shooting film, I was hooked. Since, I have continued to shoot stills over the years (my original training) and seen what has happened in the still photography world, I knew that something eventually would happen in the motion cinema world as well and I didn’t want to be behind the curve. I also realized that this new tool had some great advantages, and I also liked the thought of having a new skill that could be utilized in many situations. I also saw that things wouldn’t be the same ever again.

Film is still a big part of my vocabulary, but 24p was going to be the beginning of a new path for the future on some level, at least as a viable option. As always, I did a lot of research and saw that not only was 24p going to make an impact on the way things are done, but that the Panasonic really was the camera of choice for me, offering many advantages… and I just liked the look of the VariCam images better. Price was another factor, but I wouldn’t buy the wrong camera just because of price, it had to perform, otherwise it would be a bad investment. After careful research, I knew that with commercials and short film projects I could pay for the camera-- so I bought one three months later.

Question: Tell us about your theatrical work with VariCam.

Williams: I have shot four short films now with my camera, one that has gone out to 35mm film, one that won first place in HDFEST 2003; two documentaries, one for the 2002 winter Olympics and one that I?m doing now on jazz legend Wayne Shorter. And I?m getting ready to do a TV movie in the fall. This upcoming TV project is with some of the former people I was involved with on the CBS TV series I worked on for three years, ?Promised Land? and ?Touched By An Angel.? The director told me that the production company really wanted to do this one on 24p, and asked me if I thought it would work, since he had no experience with anything but film. Since we?ve done so many shows together and there was that trust there, he said that if told him it can be done, he?d go for it. I told him that I had total confidence with my three years of 24p experience shooting everything from dramatic projects to commercials in many different technical situations, and that he could be assured that it will work? that I?d had the time and experience to adapt it into my film style of shooting.

Question: You?ve shot a substantial number of commercials with VariCam. Can you tell me about the logistics and dynamics of some of higher-profile shoots?

Williams: I?ve now done over 45 regional and national spots with great success for many ad agencies that are new to the HD process. I think the greatest obstacle is overcoming fear about the format, along with the depth of field issue, both of which I can solve. We shot several spots earlier this year with Grey Advertising in San Francisco, for their client USDTV. The spots consisted of actors talking to the camera improv style? and we photographed 120 actors in one day. Twenty-two 30-minute tapes, with two VariCams with PRO 35 film lens adapters and Zeiss 35mm lenses. This set-up enabled us to roll wide and tight at the same time as well as roll almost constantly, as this was an ?ad-lib? concept, something that we probably wouldn?t have been able to do on film. And given the fact that with the combination of experience, lighting, camera set-up and the PRO35, we were able to deliver film-like quality spots to the client with the flexibility of shooting many more actors than usually possible. That gave them many more choices in the edit. Needless to say, they were very happy. This is a case in point where a practical idea got them over the hump and into using 24p HD--and in the end no one outside of the shoot didn?t know it wasn?t shot on film.

Question: What are your overall views concerning the camera?s performance?

Williams: I really believe that the quality of this camera in the right hands, with the PRO35 film lens adapter, along with the same color timing session that you do with a film project, this camera can really hold its own in the television commercial arena? in fact on some spots I?m really amazed with the look and texture. I often wonder why we are still shooting film, given similar various circumstances to those I described above. Sure I love to shoot film, but why torture yourself on a tight budget when if in the end no one even notices, you can do it faster or better with HD. I?ve now done a couple of film outs and seen many more independent tests, and I?m always a little shocked at the camera?s performance. Going out to film adds the attributes of the film stock that we are all used to, which is great and an added benefit. But what I?m really impressed with is how the camera looks when not going to film. That?s the challenge for any HD camera system? what does it look like on its own. Again I really think the camera has amazing attributes built-in, and when combined with film production experience and lighting ratios, it can make amazing images. So I don?t believe the issue is really about comparing HD to film, (where the bar has been set), but what are its individual attributes and how do they relate to what we are trying to do? and how can I achieve a unique and individual look. On another level, I think it can also be somewhat limiting to try to make this process emulate film 100%. It has its own look and I want the choice of tools, so for me, it?s the best of both worlds.

Question: What have you found to be different about shooting HD (different from film/other tape formats)?

Williams: Generally when the shoot starts, it?s like any other format really, I just forget about the system I?m using, whether its Mini DV or 65mm IMAX film and the respective technical aspects because I know them well, and then I can concentrate on working with the director and getting the story told the best way possible. In regards to other tape formats, I had a lot of experience with videotape formats from my early days, but once I switched over to film, I never went back until I used the VariCam, as it gave me a look that I was accustomed to with film. Truthfully, I wish the chip size was larger, but to handle that amount of data you have to go to a very large and complicated system at this point, and I like the portability and ease of use with this system. On a big feature you can have a larger crew and can afford to have a bigger system, recording out to hard drives, etc. But for most of my work, I don?t need all that? so I believe for a long time into the future, these 2/3? chip cameras will be working in some capacity. And as always, someone will come up with an alternative device that solves a given issue, which in the case of depth of field, the PRO35 by P+S Teknics solves that issue for me. Now on all dramatic projects and higher-end commercials, I always use the PRO35 to replicate 35mm?s ?depth for field.? Filmmakers as well as ad agencies want a ?film-like? look, and in certain situations 24p might be a better solution, but you have to have the experience to know when that is, choosing the correct tool for the job. It is our job as cinematographers to know and have the experience as well as the full understanding of the technology and all the issues involved so that we can help people comfortably venture out into new territory.

Question: Talk about the VariCam?s dynamic range and color rendition.

Williams: One thing that impressed me from the beginning was the 4:2:2 color space that the Varicam uses. That makes a big difference to the overall look of the format. Colors are richer and have more definition, and the cine-gamma mode in the camera really makes my life better. The dynamic range, along with the easy adjustment via film-like menus, makes it really fast to respond to any given situation. I keep saying this, but to me it?s paramount? experience with lighting and exposure is the key to any process, as film can?t handle everything you throw at it without making adjustments either? no camera or film stock will do that for you. You have to have the experience. I?ve done it for years now successfully without having instant results. But I feel that without that experience, I wouldn?t understand the capabilities of dynamic range and lighting ratios as well, and that is what I believe it takes to achieve the results that I produce with the camera.

Question: How often do you shoot off-speed?

Williams: I shoot off-speed as often as I do in film, which is to say when the need arises. The nice thing to know is that it?s a creative tool that?s there if you need it, along with shutter angle adjustments, at the flip of a switch. And now with Final Cut Pro HD, my new Apple G5 editing system and my portable HD deck, I can finally do my own frame-rate conversions? at home! This is key, as it?s one thing to shoot off-speed, but it?s been time-consuming and costly getting the footage frame rate converted at a facility.

Question: VariCam offers a lot of flexibility in terms of set-up. What features or settings do you typically use?

Williams: Over the last two years I have developed several different looks that I store in the camera?s memory or on separate cards and call them up when I need them. Otherwise, I leave the camera alone. I really treat the process as I do film. You choose a particular stock based on its attributes and then do all of your adjustments with the lighting and color control on the set. That way you don?t introduce the many variables into the image that you might not want and you have a solid, consistent ?base look? throughout the project. This is very important--as film cinematographers we were always taught, after we created the ?look? we were after, the key then was consistency. When you were printing film before the D.I. (Digital Intermediary) process was introduced, you had to be right on, roll-to-roll, scene-to-scene, and for me the same applies in shooting HD. It?s a great discipline, and then when you get to the color-timing phase you spend your time adjusting and fine tuning, not fixing color inconsistencies. Again I liken this to the different film stocks. Then with HD, after I?ve chosen my set-up, I leave the camera alone for the most part, only doing small adjustments along the way in the areas of dynamic range, knee adjustments, etc., but it?s mostly for contrast and overall exposure.

Concerning basic color balancing (white balancing), I rarely ?white? balance, as I prefer to use the pre-set 3200 as my base and add basic color correction (85 or 81 series filters) to get me where I want to be. It?s a proven fact that optical color correction achieves technically a more pure spectrum. The other big issue for me is ?color timing? on the set, which takes up unnecessary time. You aren?t in the proper viewing environment anyway, which is crucial, and not where I believe it should be done. Color (and /or white) balancing on the set can be time-consuming and it?s tricky to keep out stray light sources that will affect the balance in subtle ways that you might not see now, but come up later in post.

Question: What about lenses and the rest of the equipment package?

Williams: I own a Canon HD zoom lens for documentaries and some small projects, but I use the PRO35 film lens adapter with Zeiss Ultra Prime lenses for dramatic and commercial projects. The rest of my package has the various cinema accessories that are necessary like follow focus, Arri matte boxes, Microforce zoom control, and the many filters that I already owned from my film work, various tripods for different circumstances, from lightweight documentary style to studio. The one thing that was important to me was setting the camera package up to be versatile. I can strip it down and do hand-held or Steadicam, or I can go full blown studio mode with all the accessories. I also own the Astro on-board HD monitor/waveform monitor, as well as both a Panasonic 17? CRT HD monitor and the new 18? LCD monitor (BT-LH1800) which I?m really happy with. Rounding out the package is the portable AJ-HD130 (DVCPRO HD) deck, something that really influenced the purchase of this camera, as without it I couldn?t see asking people to change their post house relationships just to accommodate this new 24p HD format, so I can bring the deck to them. Problem solved.

Question: In general, how are the projects you shoot on VariCam edited and finished?

Williams: To date, we?ve done several projects with an HD finish, mainly short films and dramatic projects, but for the most part, mainly with commercials, we are down converting to SD (which is done right in the playback within the deck and saves making dubs) and then doing our editing in SD. The Panasonic format is great, as it already has added in the 3:2 pull down and the deck is putting out 29.97 time code with no conversions necessary in SD. Plug and play. No weird conversions.

Question: Can you make some generalizations about how shooting HD impacts budgets?

Williams: When you know that you can produce quality images on any format, then you have to look at why does this project want to be shot on 24p HD? Is it the look of HD, the cost savings, shooting ratios, actor freedom, or post manipulation? There are many other reasons that effect the bottom line, and you have to carefully add up these concepts and see if HD is the right tool for the job.

If the look and feel of 24p HD is right for the project, then you can move to the next phase, which is how will it impact the overall budget, and if there can be some cost savings in not using film, (with raw stock, processing and transfer), then can we use that money to get the best possible locations, actors, or give the director more freedom on the shoot with HD, etc.? I?d rather shoot good production design on 24p HD than shoot a limited production designed project with marginal talent on film. Quality imaging takes more than just which camera you are using, it takes the combination of a good script, good talent, and good crew? and to compromise in these areas effects the project in huge ways. Great images require that all of the elements for a given project are out there in front of the lens (any lens) to shoot, as it?s a collaborative process, so while HD can save on film stock, processing and transfer; after that, (unless the project has many special effects) it?s about the same overall cost-wise.

When asked about HD vs. film, I ask, what kind of ?project? is it? A tight budget, or a more normal budget, and not is it a film or HD project, because if it is a tight and limited budget, all of the factors needed to make a quality project might not be there. HD can?t do it alone.

Question: What do you say to colleagues about the VariCam?

Williams: I?d say when combined with film experience, 24p HD can be a great tool for the filmmaker. But don?t expect this camera to make the images for you, that?s your job, and if the tool fits the job, then learn it well, all the way through post and then forget about it and deal with the business at hand? which is making your film, documentary or commercial. Before HD I was rarely asked about post production, but now I spend a lot of my time talking to people about it because they don?t have the knowledge or training or have heard the hype (including the wrong hype) and sometimes have different expectations. HD is not a magic tool and doesn?t solve everything, but you need to know how it responds to the various situations and be able to communicate those issues up front so that there are no surprises. If you sell someone on using HD then make sure you know the entire process front to back, and learn which issues are different than with film? it all adds up to experience.