Shooting Star
Cinematographer Roberto Schaefer Shoots The Pilot

Star is a new Fox TV music drama from Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Lee Daniels (Empire, Precious). Exposing the cut-throat music industry, Star follows three talented singers as they navigate the road to stardom. The series features Jude Demorest as the title character, Queen Latifah, Benjamin Bratt, and Lenny Kravitz.

The series’ pilot was shot by cinematographer Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC (Quantum of Solace, Finding Neverland, Monster’s Ball) on VariCam 35 cinema cameras. Executive producer Daniels, who also directed the pilot, has consistently worked with Schaefer since their collaboration on 2012’s The Paperboy. Star alternates between fantasy and reality so one of Schaefer’s biggest challenges was to keep his three young leads looking glamourous, yet grounded in reality. “Lee didn’t want the show to look like anything on TV,” explains Schaefer. “He wanted it to have a raw look. He loved the way we did The Paperboy, although there was no way [Fox] were going to let us shoot on Super 16, which is how we shot The Paperboy. We looked for ways to give it an unusual and distinct look.”

Schaefer had tested the VariCam 35 on a Pepsi commercial with Daniels a month before they went into prep for Star. “The commercial was going to be shot in New York City in a dark limousine with an African American actor,” says Schaefer. “There were also scenes with a bunch of people on a subway car where we couldn’t change any of the lighting. I knew that I wanted to have the option of using the native 5,000 ISO so I did a few tests and I liked what I saw. I shot the commercial with it and everyone was very happy so we decided that was the way to go with Star.”

Star had similar production and lighting challenges. For scenes that took place in a low ceiling warehouse, Schaefer and crew did not have enough room to hang lights so they had to work primarily with practicals. Most of the practical locations ranged from a disco/strip club to houses and apartments that had limited rigging capabilities. “We had to shoot all over Atlanta and some of the moves were massive and there’s always horrible traffic there,” reveals Schaefer. “We were always up against the gun to get the shots. For the night exteriors, there were times I was able to use smaller lights, or no lights, because I was using the [native] 5,000 ISO.”

Unlike Netflix and Amazon, Fox TV does not have 4K delivery requirements so Schaefer shot the pilot in full HD (1920 x 1080) because he wanted the show to have a rougher look and didn’t want editorial to reframe or zoom in on his carefully designed shots. He captured 12-bit AVC Intra 444 files, as well as separate proxies to take home for viewing.

Knowing his director would not want to view V-LOG footage on a monitor, Schaefer created approximately 10 different LUTs, pushing contrast and allowing highlights to clip. “It has a definite gritty look to it,” admits Schaefer. “It’s not ugly by any means, but it just has a very strong look. It’s not one of these totally manufactured looking shows where everything looks so smooth.”

Schaefer was initially going to use Panavision Primos for the entire pilot but because of the fast pace, there was little time for lens changes. Daniels also wanted to have quick zoom ins and frame adjustments, so Schaefer selected three Angenieux Optimo zooms, including the 15–40, 28–76, and 45–120. He also used filtration on his lenses, including Schneider Hollywood Black Magic filters on shots he wanted to tone down the digital contrast. For beauty shots, Schaefer used Tiffin Black Satin filters, and for fantasy sequences in the strip club, he went with Bronze Glimmerglass.

Lighting For VariCam

For the disco/strip club scenes, Schaefer wanted to capture 360-degrees so he had to use the club’s built-in moving LED lights because he couldn’t add additional movie lights. “We had some sequences in smaller rooms where I would be on the 800 and then I would move in on a profile and realize it looked good but not quite right, so I would just click over to 5,000,” he reveals.

Schaefer also used the native 5,000 ISO for low-light bedroom scenes, as well as a club sequence that was shot at 120-fps of an air canon shooting out money and gold glitter. “Out on the street at night in Atlanta, I shot at 5,000 just to give my focus pullers a better chance without having to be wide open, but at an f/4. Sometimes I would go to 5,000 and instead of taking the ISO down to 1,600, I would throw NDs in. To me it was like a security blanket. I could always know that if I was in trouble from what I planned if I was missing a stop I didn’t want to underexpose it, I could use the 5,000.”

In terms of lighting tools, Schaefer still lights with the VariCam as if he’s shooting film. “I do use LEDs a lot these days — especially from LiteGear — because I trust them and I know they’re color correct. They have some great tools like the LiteRibbon LEDs that you can hide in places. I also use their flat LiteMats that you can just stick on a wall. I still consider film to be reasonably sensitive. I’ve shot Super 16 at a 1000 ASA with good results. I find the VariCam’s native 800 ISO is in that range and has a bit more than what your meter says you have. I don’t really think I change my lighting; I just look at what looks best to my eye.”

The pilot was graded at Mango Post. Schaefer worked closely with dailies colorist James Bills to make sure the final color grade looked consistent to their dailies. “Because they had the LUTs to drop back in, it wasn’t a big shift,” explains Schaefer. “It was basically a one-day grade. We lifted some faces, reduced some of the highlights, or did a little bit of tweaking here and there. Lee and I were on the same page from the beginning so it was really important that when he was looking at the monitor, he’s seeing what we’re going for. There were times when I would click from the LUT to V-LOG to look at the exposure and Lee would look at the monitor and go, ‘What’s this? This looks too normal.’ I would put the LUT back on and he would be, “That’s better.” Knowing that we were in agreement made it easier — and it didn’t change later on.”

Welcome to Unsocial Food Shopping!

By Tina Valin

Food Shopping has been re-imagined by Amazon Go!

What I can gather from information on Amazon's website is their new fangled technology works kind of like this - basically you walk into an Amazon Go grocery store and pick out the items you want and an app adds up the stuff you toss into your cart and then they charge you when you exit the store.

No longer will you have to wait in line to be checked out! But what Amazon doesn't understand is that's what makes shopping so much fun - at least for me.

Here Are My Top Ten Reasons Why I Love Standing In A Checkout Line:

1. You get to spy on all the weird products other people will be eating and sometimes you even discover something you might like.

2. It's an opportunity to flirt with the neighborhood hotties or discover a mysterious stranger who bears a striking resemblance to your fantasy celebrity. Oh shit - that really is that celebrity! Hard to recognize them in sweats - no makeup - greasy hair - and being out of context in a supermarket!

3. I love being in easy reach of the shelves that are stocked with forbidden candy and snacks you swore you wouldn't lunge for before you entered the store - but now that you waited so long to checkout you owe yourself a reward and must give in to temptation. Later on, when you watch your favorite TV show and whip out your impressive stash of chocolate bars and chips and you feel ashamed of yourself for committing your junk food sins but somehow that sense of personal failure doesn't prevent you from gobbling them up anyway and all is good in the world.

4. When you are almost finished checking out - the cashier discovers you selected a leaky container of almond milk and a member of the store's staff scurries off to replace it for you while you check your texts.

5. Buying Lottery tickets and postage stamps is a breeze.

6. Getting cash back at the press of a button saves you a trip to the bank.

7. Coupons!

8. Usually someone at a traditional supermarket bags your groceries for you and offers to help load them into your cart. But I always feel too guilty using that service because it should be available without any delays for people with physical challenges - and it's a necessity not an option for them. Who will do that at Amazon go?

9. I enjoy chatting with my friendly cashier who always seems so pleased to see me.

10. However, the most important thing about standing in line is you get to indulge in your guilty pleasure of thumbing through the sleazy tabloids while you pretend to be perusing a home improvement magazine.

If I used Amazon Go I would miss all of the above! But I'm sure in time I'd get used to the new way to shop too. Humans forget things quickly and can adapt to almost anything except Trump!

The major downside to these kinds of advances in technology is the devastating job loss which allows follows. A much lower consequence is that more speedy food shopping means you will be rushing around like a maniac trying to break your previous shopping time records and have no opportunities for direct human contact. Life is enough of a rat race! We savor the pleasure of almost nothing today and casual conversation is becoming a lost art.

I'd be totally in favor of Amazon creating a new way of grocery shopping if it meant that my cart would automatically be returned to the front of the store by a human - not a robot - and that person came home with me and helped lug my groceries up the stairs and then put everything away in all the right places! Now that's something I could get really excited about!

The Hillary Election Night Cocktail

By Tina Valin

1/4 ounce Blue Curaçao (to symbolize a Democratic victory)
3/4 ounce Cointreau (for Hillary's strong support of global human rights)
2 ounces of a good ReposadoTequila (as a way of paying homage to our beloved Mexican brothers and sisters much maligned by Trump and his supporters)
1 ounce fresh lime juice (to help you stay healthy during these stressful times)
1/2 ounce simple syrup (to keep the sweet thought Hillary gets elected)
A few drops of Aromatic bitters (to remember the tears women and girls have shed dealing with the wicked Donald Trumps of the world)
Garnish with a twist of orange peel (as a sign of good luck that we win Florida!)
Stir with ice and then serve strained into a martini or margarita glass. Can be rimmed with salt or sugar if you desire 
Enjoy with kindhearted friends and watch Rachel Maddow's election night coverage on MSNBC. Stronger Together! Cheers!

Please don't drive under the influence of Republicans voting for Trump -
or alcohol.