Think Outside the Square... Think 16:9

Hey Guys,

Well I am on my lunch break from my first day at film school. All is well so far. It is going to be a busy 10 weeks, but I am really excited about the stuff that I will be doing.

The head of Cinematography is Jan Kenny. This woman is really awesome. She was the first female camera assistant in the country her first job was with DoP Russell Boyd. (Oscar winning Aussie DoP) She worked really hard to prove that a female could do the job just as well as any guy even though traditionally women really never worked in the camera dept.

Now as a DoP herself, she is not only the Head of Cine here at AFTRS but the first women to be entered into the Australian Cinematographers Society Hall of Fame.

All round I have alot to learn from her. And from what I hear I have alot of hard work and dedication ahead of me. Awesome.

The library here is brilliant. I've used it before but they really have everything. I was given the full induction today.

I can look up any DoP on their database eg Russell Carpenter who shot True Lies, Titanic, prob a heap of other block busters that you have seen. And it will give me a catalogue of all journals written about him and his work.

So I was able to locate an American Cinematographer Magazine from 1994 September issue that had an article on what film stocks, cameras and techniques that they uesd for True Lies. (LOVE THAT FILM!)

So then I headed to the Journals, where they have EVERY ISSUE POSSIBLE from American Cinematographer, and I found the Sept 1994 issue and was able to copy the article for my own studies.

Now this must seem really geeky to most of you but YAY!!
AWESOME!!!!!!

Just wait till I raid the Star Wars and Matrix issues!!!!

The books that I have access to, ahhhh, dream! Its great.

Every morning I have loading practice for an hour and then Focus Pulling practice. I will be able to judge distances by eye without a measure tape, although it will all be imperial. WHo cares!!!! I just want to know how to do it;)

now.... to the database to look up the film stats of .... Star Wars.... 1970 something:)