by Snehal Patel
I love techie toys! I’ve always been fascinated by electronics because my father was a bit of a tinkerer who used to build electronic kits in the evenings after work. We even built a PC before anyone even had a personal computer at home. I remember programming games in BASIC on the computer and being fascinated by the fact that I actually knew what was under the cover.
When I first started editing and producing videos for my high school’s local cable access station, I already knew much about computers and electronics. That’s why it was easy to pick up on how to make the technology work for storytelling. For me, video cameras were really interesting because they translated an organic image into an electronic sequence of information that was again translated back into an image by your television. It was an efficient and proven process that I could understand and handle on my own. Later, as I became an aficionado of film and filmmaking, I waited for the day when digital capture could develop to the point where it mimics organic film. That day is almost here, and DSLR cameras are helping bring us one step closer.
My first introduction to DSLR cameras was when I approached Cinematographer Rodney Charters back in the fall of 2009 to film a trailer for a film concept I developed called “Indian Gangster.” I had been writing, directing, and filming a lot of comedy that was popular on the Internet and a feature documentary I produced got distributed, but my heart was in fiction drama. Rodney agreed to do my “weekend project” and suggested we try using one of the new Canon 5D Mark II cameras. I had heard about the camera and was already interested before he finished his sentence. Rodney brought the full force of his relationships, and we got all kinds of equipment sent to us for our two-day shoot from Panavision, Slider, Zacuto, Redrock, and others. That’s right! We had Panavision glass and a custom mount to use the beautiful lenses with the Canons. Very soon after we shot with it, the custom mount from Panavision was no longer allowed to be rented with the lenses. Even if the camera only recorded in 30p at the time, we made an amazing looking trailer, which you can see at www.IndianGangster.com.
Rodney helped to open my eyes to this new digital “Bolex,” which lets you be as simple or complicated as you want, about how you put it to use. I’ve had the 5D and 7D cameras in full movie-style rigs with a PL-mount lens, two monitors, remote follow focus, on a dolly, and so on, for a real cinematic move on a movie set. I’ve also had just a camera with an L-series lens on sticks and captured an image at night that was just as cinematic. If you pay attention to how this camera system can best be put to use, you can quickly learn how to make content that looks as good as multi-million-dollar blockbusters.
Right now, I am working as a director, producer, and cinematographer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Chicago, I lived and worked in the mainstream Bollywood industry for a while before moving to Hollywood. I see the push for more efficient, lower-cost production in our industry here, and it reminds me of the way we worked in Bollywood, which is still predominantly made up of independent producers and production companies. That is why DSLRs are important. With a smaller footprint, easy workflow, and low cost of operation (even with a lot of accessories), these cameras have revolutionized the way we view digital production. Now is the time for you to learn this technology so that it can be useful for you in the long run.
I am a trainer for LA’s Canon Boot Camp (www.canonbootcamp.com) and have traveled the country speaking at conferences about DSLR cameras in professional production environments. Author Michael Britt invited me to speak at a workshop entitled “Practical Filmmaking” at the PhotoCine Expo in 2010. I film with the Canon 5D, 7D, and 60D on a regular basis for projects ranging from feature films to television shows to viral web videos. I handle much of the editing and post-production on my jobs, so I have a lot to say about the DSLR workflow. Check out my blog for tips, tricks, news, and info about my latest work: www.FearlessProductions.tv.
