Here's a tricky question.

[jimmy975]

Hi there, I am really desperate to find out how the Coen brothers managed to get the 'look' (with the camera) for their movie 'Millers Crossing'. If you know how; do you also know how to get the same results with a digital Z1 camera. Answers on a post card please. If someone could tell me this i'll be forever grateful.

[Tom]

His name is Roger Deakens. He's a legend in the cinematography world. He also did Jesse James. And when I tell you the guy invented developed his own lenses, that's probably what your seeing.

A Z1 is HDV, so I would recommend a touch of vaseline on the lens (small amount) and start experimenting from there.

[jimmy975]

Hi Icharus, is it safe to put vaseline on the lens, i'm afraid to scratch it when i'm cleaning it. I would be afraid to put vaseline on the lens in the first place. Never heard of that.

[Tom]

Yes, it's an old photographers trick. Of course, don't bill me if it does scratch You can use a lens cloth to apply. And they can handle it.

[jimmy975]

I'm not that experienced a cameraman, when i made my first film it we used a cinematographer using a Canon XL2, those cameras are way too overrated if you ask me, totally unreliable, loads of dropouts, too much dot crawl and not good with light. I think you need to get loads of accessories for them to get the proper results. Although i know some stuff about directing (was working with the actors). I think i'll get some more experience with the camera before i put vaseline on it. ha ha , i never knew that. I've used vaseline for loads of things but never for that lol. Thanks for the tip. One more thing, when you use a lens cloth, the vaseline totally gets wiped off leaving the lens as it was before?

[Tom]

Totally clean. Honest.

[wiggy]

just put a uv filter on the lense first, you can pick them up for about a tenner, best to always have a filter over the lense as it protects it! also invest in a letus extreme 35mm adapter, a bit pricey (£600) but well worth it for the depth of field and another bonus is you don't need to flip the image in post like with the m2 adapter

[jimmy975]

Thanks Wiggy, do those letus things do the same job as the rock adapters?

[Gareth]

a pro mist also works well sometimes although I'm not took keen on them most of the time

[wiggy]

yes jimmy, the redrock is the m2 adapter i mentioned but 1 the are cheaper, 2 they have a lot less light loss and 3 as i said, they record the image the right way up, i don't own one yet but i do intend to!
www.letusdirect.com/cart/Letus-35-Extreme-p-6.html

[jimmy975]

As for the colour of Millers crossing (how they managed to get that pale shadowy look) do you mess around with the white balance or something like that? I am gonna experiment with the camera, need to take a whole day out for it though when i know i'm not doing anything else.