The Making Of – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, we welcome Tim Smith. Tim is Executive Director for the Americas at Angenieux. In our chat, Tim shares about his upbringing in Maine, his early interest in photography, and stories from his tenure at Canon, where he witnessed the “DSLR Revolution” up-close. He also talks about his current role at Angenieux and about their high-end lenses for cinematographers. In addition, Tim provides insights about the state of the industry and where things may be headed in 2025.

The Making Of is presented by AJA:

Meet AJA Ki Pro GO2

Easily record up to four channels of simultaneous HEVC or AVC to cost-efficient USB drives and/or network storage with flexible connectivity, including four 3G-SDI and four HDMI digital video inputs, to connect to a wide range of video sources.

Find out more here

From our Friends at Broadfield…

All-new pricing for RED KOMODO and KOMODO-X unlocks exceptional cinema quality, global shutter performance, and the power of RED to filmmakers at every level. The KOMODO is a compact cinema camera featuring RED's unparalleled image quality, color science, and groundbreaking global shutter sensor technology in a shockingly small and versatile form factor. The KOMODO-X is the next evolution with all-new sensor technology that multiplies frame rate and dynamic range performance within a new advanced platform.

Inquire here

Featured Film Book:

Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot

This film memoir is all about the magic of filmmaking and forging a cinematic personal life in Hollywood. It’s full of invaluable experiences and unique industry stories of a celebrated film/TV career, and should be required reading for every film lover. It includes stories of a producer turning out to be the assassin of the Mafia boss who allowed The Godfather to film in NY, to shooting the pyramids of Egypt for Battlestar Galactica, to directing a grumbling Mr. T on The A-Team, to almost decapitating a young Drew Barrymore right after ET, and to unwittingly almost delaying James Cameron’s career!

“Finally, a book for all who love the movies written by a filmmaker who has walked the walk in TV and film. A very entertaining journey of fascinating industry stories providing a true look behind the curtain of filmmaking.” —Joe Alves, Production Designer - JAWS, British Academy Award for CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.Pickup a copy at KISS ME QUICK BEFORE I SHOOT Kindle Ebook Amazon

Meet Igelkott Studios:

Our expertise lies in delivering end-to-end ICVFX productions, which include 360 plate creation and directing the in-studio operation. We are proud to have been industry leaders in ICVFX, image development, and image workflows since 2018.

Learn more here

Introducing Something New…

OWC Atlas Ultra CFexpress Cards:

Experience the unparalleled performance and reliability of Atlas Ultra CFexpress Type B 4.0 cards purpose-built for professional filmmakers and photographers to capture flawlessly and offload files quickly in the most demanding scenarios.

Check them out here

Talking Cinematography with Documentarian Jennifer Cox

Jennifer Cox is a director of photography, documentarian and owner of Moto Films LLC based in New York. Cox procured one of the first sets of ZEISS Nano Prime lenses and used them on three diverse documentary projects. She tested the unique traits across a Beatles Fan Fest feature film shoot, a short form promotion for non-profit Free Arts NYC and as part of the 2024 Courage Awards from PEN America.

Podcast Rewind:

August 2024 - Ep. 43…

The Making Of is published by Michael Valinsky.

To showcase your products to 75,000 filmmakers and industry pros reading this newsletter, please email us at mvalinsky@me.com

In this episode, we welcome Larry O’Connor. Larry is the founder and CEO of OWC, the industry leader in storage solutions. We also welcome Jon Hoeg, OWC’s Director of Marketing Communications. In our chat, we hear Larry’s backstory, how he created his company from the start, and its evolution over the last thirty-six years. In addition, Larry and Jon share about their solutions for production and post pros, offer best practices for storage and archiving your assets, and provide insights on A.I.

The Making Of is presented by AJA:

Meet AJA Ki Pro GO2

Easily record up to four channels of simultaneous HEVC or AVC to cost-efficient USB drives and/or network storage with flexible connectivity, including four 3G-SDI and four HDMI digital video inputs, to connect to a wide range of video sources.

Find out more here

Talking Cinematography with Documentarian Jennifer Cox

Jennifer Cox is a director of photography, documentarian and owner of Moto Films LLC based in New York. Cox procured one of the first sets of ZEISS Nano Prime lenses and used them on three diverse documentary projects. She tested the unique traits across a Beatles Fan Fest feature film shoot, a short form promotion for non-profit Free Arts NYC and as part of the 2024 Courage Awards from PEN America.

From our Friends at Broadfield…

V-RAPTOR® [X] 8K VV combines the strengths of RED’s two families of cameras into one powerful all-purpose workhorse. The frame rates, lowlight performance, and resolution of the V-RAPTOR® line combined with the global shutter advancements of KOMODO®, the V-RAPTOR [X] 8K VV sensor is the culmination of the latest advancements in digital cinema image making. Using RED’s newest 8K VV sensor, V-RAPTOR [X] leverages the benefits and flexibility of large format, global shutter, high framerate, 8K acquisition, all inside of a compact and feature rich body weighing just over 4lbs.

Read more here

Featured Book:

Images: My Life in Film

In this new edition, Ingmar Bergman presents an intimate view of his own unique body of work in film. His career spanned forty years and produced more than fifty films, many of which are considered classics: The Seventh Seal, The Virgin Spring, Persona, Smiles of a Summer Night, Wild Strawberries, and Fanny and Alexander, to name but a few. When he began this book, Bergman had not seen most of his movies since he made them. Resorting to scripts and working notebooks, and especially to memory, he comments brilliantly and always cogently on his failures as well as his successes; on the themes that bind his work together; on his concerns, anxieties, and moments of happiness; on the relationship between his life and art.

Available here

OWC Atlas Ultra CFexpress Cards:

Experience the unparalleled performance and reliability of Atlas Ultra CFexpress Type B 4.0 cards purpose-built for professional filmmakers and photographers to capture flawlessly, and offload files quickly in the most demanding scenarios.

Learn more here

Podcast Rewind:

August 2024 - Ep. 42…

The Making Of is published by Michael Valinsky.

To promote your products to 70,000 filmmakers and industry pros reading this newsletter, please email us at mvalinsky@me.com

In this episode, we welcome cinematographer John Matysiak. John has shot acclaimed features such as Old Henry, Acid Man, and Big George Foreman, as well as series including “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” and “Still the King.” In our chat, we hear John’s origins, path into filmmaking, and his experience working on a range of projects. We also learn about his approach to collaborating with different directors, and how he formulates the look for each production.

The Making Of is presented by AJA Video Systems:

Uplevel your pipeline with AJA’s latest updates

From color management to IP video, data management, and beyond, media production pipelines are rapidly evolving. Stay ahead of the curve with AJA’s latest technology updates for production and post professionals, including a new ColorBox release with ACES support and other great improvements, new Desktop software features, and more. Find out what’s new here

From our Friends at Videoguys…

Atomos Shogun is a 7-inch monitor-recorder with integrated networking for cloud workflows, ideal for DSLR, mirrorless and cinematic cameras. More codecs & monitoring tools than ever before. Today’s Shogun is bolstered by new abilities from AtomOS 11, massive connectivity from integrated networking, more codecs, and compatibility with almost every camera. Shogun is the Atomos dream writ large.

Learn more here

Tiffen Tech Day '24, Stabilizer Expo, & Steadicam's 50th with Garrett Brown

Burbank | June 9th, 11am - 4pm

Tiffen welcomes filmmakers to Tech Day '24 featuring the Stabilizer Expo, live equipment demos, and Tech Talks with renowned Operators and Cinematographers.

Stabilizer Expo | Tiffen Filters On Set | Steadicam Try & Fly | Tech Talks

That Steadicam Shot and I How Got It: Charles Papert moderates Neal Bryant SOC, Andy Schwartz and more. Plus, How I Got that Filter Shot: Richard Crudo ASC moderates Cinematographers Dean Cundey ASC, Alicia Robbins, Shane Hurlbut ASC

Tall Steadicam Tales: A Conversation with Garrett Brown & Dave Chameides

Free RSVP here

Meet ZEISS At Cine Gear LA

Cine Gear is right around the corner! Find ZEISS at Booth #105 where they will be showing the new Nano Prime lenses. More than that, you can check out a demo of the CinCraft Scenario camera tracking system in an outdoor environment.

Register here

Featured NYC Photo Exhibit:

Edwin Pagán’s Los Inocentes (The Innocents) is a documentary photoessay that focuses on the resiliency of children who live in urban communities in less-than-ideal circumstances, but who prevail and thrive beyond their environments in the South Bronx, Spanish Harlem (El Barrio), and the Lower East Side (Loisaida).

The images compiled in this photographic showcase reveal the untainted splendor of children just being themselves in everyday situations. Individually, they present fleeting tableaux of precise personal incidents. Taken together, they provide a wider understanding of how universal youth resiliency really is. If from the mouth of babes comes the truth, then this metaphoric photo album speaks to the will and tenacity of human beings.

More on this exhibit here

Steven Poster, ASC Shares About His Latest Feature, "Scared To Death"

In this episode of the Digital Cinema Show, DCS Founder James Mathers interviews renowned Director of Photography Steven Poster, ASC about the tools he used on his latest feature, "Scared To Death" — including Canon cinema cameras and lenses, and Tiffen filters. Watch the interview here

Upcoming Event:

Cine Gear Expo | Burbank, CA

Cine Gear Expo features exhibits, new product and service introductions, complimentary seminars led by industry leaders, masterclasses, a film competition, and awards ceremony. From June 7-9th, the LA Expo will be held at the historic Warner Bros Studios in Burbank, CA.

A fitting backdrop for the Cine Gear industry trade show, visitors can enjoy outdoor booths on Warner Bros Midwest and French Streets, former home to The Music Man, Bonnie and Clyde, and “Gilmore Girls”. Simultaneously, The Friends and Young Sheldon Stages will house indoor booths filled with the latest tech from popular equipment vendors. Warner’s full-service facility also offers state-of-the-art venues like the Steven J. Ross Theatre to accommodate Cine Gear’s hallmark Film Competition, Screening Series, and Presentations.

Register here

Women in Media Announces 2024 WiM ICON Award Honoree

For landmark achievement in public relations, communications and community building, WiM is honored to award Susan Lewis this year’s highest distinction.

Susan Lewis has tirelessly served the cinema and entertainment community for four decades — smoothing the launch and adoption of countless innovative technologies. Her clients have represented industry leaders including Cinema Products, Steadicam, Litepanels, Zeiss, Schneider, Matthews, Tiffen, SmallHD, Teradek, and dozens more.

One of her unique roles is being a daily conduit between filmmakers and the companies whose products serve these creatives. Nancy Schreiber ASC shares, “Susan always has her pulse on what’s brand new and about-to-be-newsworthy. She makes sure that we artists & technicians get our hands on this gear immediately.” She’s an Associate Member of the American Society of Cinematographers and a long-time supporter of Cine Gear Expo. The show’s co-founder and WiM’s 2023 ICON Award recipient Juliane Grosso added, “Susan is an irreplaceable gem in the Cine Gear Expo family.” Read more here

Podcast Rewind:

May 2024 - Ep. 33…

The Making Of is published by Michael Valinsky.

To promote your products or services to over 21,000 filmmakers, TV and video pros reading this newsletter, please email us at mvalinsky@me.com

In this episode, we welcome cinematographer Denson Baker ACS NZCS. Denson has lensed projects including The Colour Room, Ophelia, Mountain Boy, Measure of a Man, “The Luminaries,” “Victoria,” The Black Balloon, The Waiting City, Ukraine on Fire, The Dark Horse, Oranges and Sunshine, and Deck Dogz. In our chat, Denson shares his backstory, early education, cinematic influences, and behind the scenes of working on various films. He also describes how he creates the look for each project, his process for choosing certain filmmaking technologies, and much more.

The Making Of is presented by AJA Video Systems.

Uplevel your pipeline with AJA’s latest updates

From color management to IP video, data management, and beyond, media production pipelines are rapidly evolving. Stay ahead of the curve with AJA’s latest technology updates for production and post pros, including a new ColorBox release with ACES support and other great improvements, to new Desktop software features, and beyond. Find out more here

ZEISS Conversations with Eszter Csepeli

Eszter Csepeli, a founding member of the Hungarian Cinematographers' Association (HCA), stands as Hungary's leading female cinematographer and the sole woman on the board. Recognized as a Fulbright Scholar and previously nominated for the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, she continues to shine. Honored with the ZEISS + WiM Altitude Awards Main Prize and featured in British Cinematographer, Csepeli's talent knows no bounds.

Currently residing between Los Angeles and Budapest, she was selected for the esteemed ASC Mentorship Program in 2022, with Cynthia Pusheck ASC as her mentor. To hear more about her journey, join ZEISS for an exciting conversation with Eszter Csepeli, where she'll also share experiences using ZEISS Supreme Prime lenses for the feature film "Our Blossom," and other favorite projects.

Register for this conversation with Eszter Csepeli on Wednesday 5/29 at 10am PDT, 1pm EDT, 7pm CEST here

Featured Book:

American Cinematographer's Shot Craft

A collection of Jay Holben’s SHOT CRAFT articles from American Cinematographer magazine. A treasured series of educational pieces on the art and science of cinematography. An extraordinary book for the film student and refresher for the seasoned pro, SHOT CRAFT is written in an easy-to-read tone that explains the technical and complicated in simple language. It is a collection of lessons, tips & techniques that is a must-have for everyone working in the art of visual storytelling in motion pictures.

This book features a curated selection from the first five years of this monthly column providing insights on: cinematography fundamentals, formats, exposure, lighting & electricity, optics, travel & locations, filmmaking techniques, relationships, communication & career. Get your copy here

From our Friends at Videoguys…

V-RAPTOR® [X] 8K VV combines the strengths of RED’s two families of cameras into one powerful all-purpose workhorse. The frame rates, lowlight performance, and resolution of the V-RAPTOR® line combined with the global shutter advancements of KOMODO®, the V-RAPTOR [X] 8K VV sensor is the culmination of the latest advancements in digital cinema image making. Using RED’s newest 8K VV sensor, V-RAPTOR [X] leverages the benefits and flexibility of large format, global shutter, high framerate, 8K acquisition, all inside of a compact and feature rich body weighing just over 4lbs.

Check it out here

Upcoming Event:

Cine Gear Expo | Burbank, CA

Cine Gear Expo features exhibits, new product and service introductions, complimentary seminars led by industry leaders, masterclasses, a film competition, and awards ceremony. From June 6-9th, the LA Expo will be held at the historic Warner Bros Studios in Burbank, CA.

A fitting backdrop for the Cine Gear industry trade show, visitors can enjoy outdoor booths on Warner Bros Midwest and French Streets, former home to The Music Man, Bonnie and Clyde, and “Gilmore Girls”. Simultaneously, The Friends and Young Sheldon Stages will house indoor booths filled with the latest tech from popular equipment vendors. Warner’s full-service facility also offers state-of-the-art venues like the Steven J. Ross Theatre to accommodate Cine Gear’s hallmark Film Competition, Screening Series, and Presentations.

Free registration here

Virtual Production Basics Workshop:

Calling all Directors and Producers in Los Angeles! Don't miss out on the Fearless Productions presents Virtual Production Basics one-day workshop on June 9th at CinePacks Studios. Learn the essentials of virtual production in a hands-on workshop that will take your projects to the next level.

Special Coupon Code for $100 off: howOSVP

Learn more here

Featured Film Festival:

Mallorca International Film Festival

Join us at the 13th edition of the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival, celebrating the art of cinema in all its diversity! This year marks the 3rd edition of our Cinematography Focus, highlighting the visual storytelling mastery behind the lens. Immerse yourself in a world of creativity through screenings, workshops and networking events on the picturesque island of Mallorca. Come be a part of the evolving narrative of filmmaking.

Explore the festival here

Podcast Rewind:

May 2024 - Ep. 32…

The Making Of is published by Michael Valinsky.

To promote your products or services to over 20,000 filmmakers, TV and video industry pros reading this newsletter, please email us: mvalinsky@me.com

In this episode, we welcome Tony Wisniewski. Tony is the Sr. Marketing Manager for Cinematography and Photography divisions at ZEISS. Having supported creatives in both communities for many years, he has his pulse on the latest movements in each market. In our chat, we hear Tony’s backstory, career evolution into the world of optics, and all about the latest products from ZEISS — including their solutions for Virtual Production. In addition, we hear his predictions for the filmmaking industry for the second half of 2024 and into next year.

The Making Of is presented by AJA Video Systems.

Uplevel your pipeline with AJA’s latest updates

From color management to IP video, data management, and beyond, media production pipelines are rapidly evolving. Stay ahead of the curve with AJA’s latest technology updates for production and post pros, including a new ColorBox release with ACES support and other great improvements, to new Desktop software features, and beyond. Find out more here

Brendan Steacy ASC, CSC Shoots CSC-Nominated "Rabbit Hole" with ZEISS Supreme Prime Lenses, Creating a Visual Masterpiece

Brendan Steacy ASC, CSC, a virtuoso of visual language, trusted ZEISS Supreme Primes once again. Read the full interview on the ZEISS Lenspire blog to find out how he achieved the modern visual aesthetic that complements the film's cyber-spy-privacy-invasive narrative.

Read here

From our Friends at Videoguys…

V-RAPTOR® [X] 8K VV combines the strengths of RED’s two families of cameras into one powerful all-purpose workhorse. The frame rates, lowlight performance, and resolution of the V-RAPTOR® line combined with the global shutter advancements of KOMODO®, the V-RAPTOR [X] 8K VV sensor is the culmination of the latest advancements in digital cinema image making. Using RED’s newest 8K VV sensor, V-RAPTOR [X] leverages the benefits and flexibility of large format, global shutter, high framerate, 8K acquisition, all inside of a compact and feature rich body weighing just over 4lbs.

Browse here

Upcoming Event:

Cine Gear Expo | Burbank, CA

Cine Gear Expo features exhibits, new product and service introductions, complimentary seminars led by industry leaders, masterclasses, a film competition, and awards ceremony. From June 6-9th, the LA Expo will be held at the historic Warner Bros Studios in Burbank, CA.

A fitting backdrop for the Cine Gear industry trade show, visitors can enjoy outdoor booths on Warner Bros Midwest and French Streets, former home to The Music Man, Bonnie and Clyde, and “Gilmore Girls”. Simultaneously, The Friends and Young Sheldon Stages will house indoor booths filled with the latest tech from popular equipment vendors. Warner’s full-service facility also offers state-of-the-art venues like the Steven J. Ross Theatre to accommodate Cine Gear’s hallmark Film Competition, Screening Series, and Presentations.

Free registration here

Featured Film Festival:

Mallorca International Film Festival

Join us at the 13th edition of the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival, celebrating the art of cinema in all its diversity! This year marks the 3rd edition of our Cinematography Focus, highlighting the visual storytelling mastery behind the lens. Immerse yourself in a world of creativity through screenings, workshops and networking events on the picturesque island of Mallorca. Come be a part of the evolving narrative of filmmaking.

Visit us here

Featured Book:

Scenes from the City: Filmmaking in New York

Scenes from the City: Filmmaking in New York is a celebration of the rise of New York-shot films, particularly after the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting was formed in 1966. This revised and expanded edition, edited by James Sanders, includes a new decade of filmmaking in NYC, a section on women filmmakers and rare, behind-the-scenes shots directly from studio archives. It also explores the recent growth of the City's television industry with more episodic series being produced in New York City now than ever before. Today's the City's entertainment industry employs 130,000 New Yorkers and contributes more than $7 billion to the local economy each year.

Check it out here

Podcast Rewind:

May 2024 - Ep. 31…

The Making Of is published by Michael Valinsky.

If interested in promoting your products to over 14,500 leading film, TV and video industry pros reading this newsletter, please email us: mvalinsky@me.com

In this episode, we welcome producer Mark Skelton. Mark is currently at work on a feature-length documentary about the infamous Cannonball Run car race across America. He has a long history of producing films, documentaries, and other content. In our conversation, Mark shares his path into filmmaking, prior projects he’s worked on, and artists that have inspired him. He also shows us under the hood about how he’s producing this documentary, Cannonballer, that’s currently in production.

The Making Of is presented by AJA Video Systems.

Uplevel your pipeline with AJA’s latest updates

From color management to IP video, data management, and beyond, media production pipelines are rapidly evolving. Stay ahead of the curve with AJA’s latest technology updates for production and post pros, including a new ColorBox release with ACES support and other great improvements, to new Desktop software features, and beyond. Find out more here

Brendan Steacy ASC, CSC Shoots CSC-Nominated "Rabbit Hole" with ZEISS Supreme Prime Lenses, Creating a Visual Masterpiece

Brendan Steacy ASC, CSC, a virtuoso of visual language, trusted ZEISS Supreme Primes once again. Read the full interview on the ZEISS Lenspire blog to find out how he achieved the modern visual aesthetic that complements the film's cyber-spy-privacy-invasive narrative. Available to read here

From our Friends at Videoguys…

V-RAPTOR® [X] 8K VV combines the strengths of RED’s two families of cameras into one powerful all-purpose workhorse. The frame rates, lowlight performance, and resolution of the V-RAPTOR® line combined with the global shutter advancements of KOMODO®, the V-RAPTOR [X] 8K VV sensor is the culmination of the latest advancements in digital cinema image making. Using RED’s newest 8K VV sensor, V-RAPTOR [X] leverages the benefits and flexibility of large format, global shutter, high framerate, 8K acquisition, all inside of a compact and feature rich body weighing just over 4lbs.

Inquire here

Vimeo Staff Picks Screening:

Tuesday, May 7th | Toronto

A night of inspiring Vimeo Staff Picks + live filmmaker commentary! Join Vimeo curator Ina Pira as she screens recent and upcoming Staff Picked films with live, unscripted commentary from some of the best creators on Vimeo. Free RSVP here

Featured Industry Event:

Cine Gear Expo | Burbank, CA

Cine Gear Expo features exhibits, new product and service introductions, complimentary seminars led by industry leaders, masterclasses, a film competition, and awards ceremony. From June 6-9th, the LA Expo will be held at the historic Warner Bros Studios in Burbank, CA.

A fitting backdrop for the Cine Gear industry trade show, visitors can enjoy outdoor booths on Warner Bros Midwest and French Streets, former home to The Music Man, Bonnie and Clyde, and “Gilmore Girls”. Simultaneously, The Friends and Young Sheldon Stages will house indoor booths filled with the latest tech from popular equipment vendors. Warner’s full-service facility also offers state-of-the-art venues like the Steven J. Ross Theatre to accommodate Cine Gear’s hallmark Film Competition, Screening Series, and Presentations.

Learn more here

Movie List of the Month:

John Carpenter’s Top 10

Check out The Master of Horror’s list here

Podcast Rewind:

April 2024 - Ep. 30…

The Making Of is published by Michael Valinsky.

If interested in promoting your products to over 13,700 leading film, TV and video industry pros reading this newsletter, please email us: mvalinsky@me.com

In this episode, we welcome Vimeo curators Meghan Oretsky and Ina Pira. This pivotal team at Vimeo leads the curation of the platform’s celebrated Staff Picks and engages with the filmmaking community on a constant basis. In our chat, we hear their back stories, how they got involved with Vimeo, and their unique roles with curation. In addition, they share insights on the state of independent film today — and what’s coming for Staff Picks events throughout 2024.

The Making Of is presented by AJA Video Systems.

As productions grow in complexity, access to on-set displays for monitoring is crucial. With ample routing inputs and outputs, it’s easy to achieve greater monitoring flexibility and redundancy on-set. Check out this Q&A with DIT Kevin Shiramizu to learn how he’s leveraging AJA KUMO SDI routers to do just this across projects.

Vimeo Staff Picks Screening:

Tuesday, April 23rd | San Francisco

A night of inspiring Vimeo Staff Picks + live filmmaker commentary! 

Join Vimeo curator Meghan Oretsky as she screens a handful of exceptional Staff Picked films with live, unscripted commentary from some of the best creators on Vimeo. After the screening, grab some swag and mingle with other filmmakers over apps and drinks. This event is free to attend.

RSVP here

From our Friends at Videoguys…

Media Composer is the most acclaimed and trusted collaborative video editing software solution across the media and entertainment industry. With options for all types of content creators—from students and independent video editors to creative teams, high-level post-production teams and broadcasters, Media Composer provides the most powerful storytelling tools in the industry. From AI-powered timesaving features, flexible workflow options, to customizable UI and remote collaboration tools, Media Composer makes it easy to create and deliver content from anywhere and turn around more projects faster. In the highest quality. On time and on budget.

Learn more here

ZEISS Wins Multiple Awards at NAB 2024

Congratulations to ZEISS for taking home three awards at NAB 2024 for Nano Primes and CinCraft Scenario camera tracking solutions. Check out these award-winning products and more here

Featured Book:

Stanley Kubrick and Me: Thirty Years at His Side

This intimate portrait by his former personal assistant and confidante reveals the man behind the legendary filmmaker—for the first time.

Stanley Kubrick, the director of a string of timeless movies from Lolita and Dr. Strangelove to A Clockwork Orange, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Full Metal Jacket, and others, has always been depicted by the media as the Howard Hughes of filmmakers, a weird artist obsessed with his work and privacy to the point of madness. But who was he really? Emilio D'Alessandro lets us see. A former Formula Ford driver who was a minicab chauffeur in London during the Swinging Sixties, he took a job driving a giant phallus through the city that became his introduction to the director. Honest, reliable, and ready to take on any task, Emilio found his way into Kubrick's neurotic, obsessive heart. He became his personal assistant, his right-hand man and confidant, working for him from A Clockwork Orange until Kubrick's death in 1999.

View here

Podcast Rewind:

April 2024 - Ep. 29…

The Making Of is published by Michael Valinsky.

If you’d like to promote your products to 12,600 leading film, TV and video industry pros reading this newsletter, please email us: mvalinsky@me.com

In this episode, we welcome filmmaker Chris Kentis. Chris is a writer, director, producer and editor, who achieved great success with his independent film, Open Water, in 2003. In our chat, we hear his backstory, path into filmmaking, and process making this movie. Chris also shares about his cinematic inspirations, other projects he’s worked on, and what's next for him.

The Making Of is presented by AJA Video Systems.

As productions grow in complexity, access to on-set displays for monitoring is crucial. With ample routing inputs and outputs, it’s easy to achieve greater monitoring flexibility and redundancy on-set. Check out this Q&A with DIT Kevin Shiramizu to learn how he’s leveraging AJA KUMO SDI routers to do just this across projects.

From our Friends at Videoguys…

Media Composer is the most acclaimed and trusted collaborative video editing software solution across the media and entertainment industry. With options for all types of content creators—from students and independent video editors to creative teams, high-level post-production teams and broadcasters, Media Composer provides the most powerful storytelling tools in the industry. From AI-powered timesaving features, flexible workflow options, to customizable UI and remote collaboration tools, Media Composer makes it easy to create and deliver content from anywhere and turn around more projects faster. In the highest quality. On time and on budget.

Learn more here

Visit ZEISS at the NAB Show:

NAB is around the corner, and you don't want to miss what's new at the ZEISS Booth #7312 in Hall C! Come discover the cinematic look of the Nano Prime lenses and check out live demonstrations of the ZEISS CinCraft Scenario camera tracking solution. ZEISS' knowledgeable Product Specialists are excited to discuss your upcoming camera tracking needs and offer their expertise. Whether you're working in indoor or outdoor settings, on film sets with green and blue screens, or in LED volumes, they have the solution for you.

If you're looking to save time on lens calibration, come and see how Scenario can accelerate your workflow. Plus, you can explore the complete lineup of ZEISS cinema lenses — including Supreme Prime, Supreme Prime Radiance, CZ.2 Cinema Zoom lenses, CP.3 Primes, and more! Use ZEISS' guest pass code NS7892 to register for free admission and click the link below to add ZEISS to your planner. 

To add ZEISS to your Show Planner, click here

Vimeo Staff Picks Screening:

April 23, 2024 | San Francisco

Join us for this free screening of recent Vimeo Staff Pick favorites, handpicked and hosted by our curators. Short films will be accompanied by live commentary from featured local filmmakers. After the screening, there’ll be a Networking Party with drinks, snacks, music and swag!

RSVP for free here

Podcast Rewind:

March 2024 - Ep. 28…

The Making Of is published by Michael Valinsky.

If you’d like to promote your products to over 12,500 leading film, TV and video industry pros reading this newsletter, please email us: mvalinsky@me.com

In this episode, we welcome award-winning photographer and filmmaker, Esteban Toro. Esteban also serves as Adobe’s Sr. Community Relationship Manager and is based in New York City. In our chat, he shares his origin story, how he learned photography, on through becoming an ambassador for brands such as Sony and BenQ. He also talks about his role at Adobe supporting the creative community of filmmakers and editors — and sheds light about recent developments in post workflows, A.I., and much more.

The Making Of is presented by AJA Video Systems.

Versatile color management and conversion with AJA ColorBox

From film to live production, color is an art. Achieving the right look requires a combination of talent and access to tools like AJA ColorBox. The color management and conversion box has quickly become a favorite among DITs with camera log, HDR, and WCG support, 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 connectivity, and unparalleled color processing. Find out why.

ZEISS Conversations with Meena Singh

Join the ZEISS Conversations webinar featuring renowned Director of Photography Meena Singh on Thursday, March 28th at 12pm PST / 3pm EST. Hear her insights about using ZEISS Supreme Prime Radiance lenses to create the look for the notable romantic comedy film, "Wedding Season." They will also discuss how she created the visual language for Sundance 2024 selected short film “Guts” and several documentary projects.

Sign up for free here

From our Friends at Videoguys…

The Canon EOS C70 offers exceptional cinema capabilities in a compact package. Enjoy stunning images with a 4K Super 35mm DGO Sensor and all the built-in features you could ask for, including ND Filters, mini XLRs, direct touch rotatable LCD screen, Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus, and excellent battery life. Making the EOS C70 even more powerful is compatibility with Canon's expanding line of high-performance RF Lenses.

Check it out here!

Book of the Month:

Woke Up This Morning: The Definitive Oral History of The Sopranos

Expanding on their hit Talking Sopranos podcast with exclusive interviews for the book with the cast, crew, producers, writers, directors and creators, stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa deliver the definitive oral history of the landmark television series and streaming hit The Sopranos. Packed with untold stories from behind the scenes and on the set, they’re spilling all the secrets.

Get a copy here

Podcast Rewind:

March 2024 - Ep. 27…

The Making Of is published by Michael Valinsky.

If you’d like to promote your products to over 12,000 leading film, TV and video industry pros reading this newsletter, please email us: mvalinsky@me.com

In this episode, we welcome Emmy-nominated Composer, Score Producer and Musician Chris Ruggiero. Chris has worked on films such as Emily the Criminal, Swallow, The Martha Mitchell Effect, Minding the Gap, Hooligan Sparrow, “Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music,” One Child Nation, Plan C, Camp Courage, episodes of “American Masters" and “American Experience” — and Resynator, which is premiering at SXSW this month. In our chat, we hear Chris’ backstory, his path from working at MTV, to creating jingles for brands, on through scoring many of today’s top independent films and documentaries.

The Making Of is presented by AJA Video Systems.

Versatile color management and conversion with AJA ColorBox 

From film to live production, color is an art. Achieving the right look requires a combination of talent and access to tools like AJA ColorBox. The color management and conversion box has quickly become a favorite among DITs with camera log, HDR, and WCG support, 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 connectivity, and unparalleled color processing. Find out why.

ZEISS Conversations with Meena Singh

Join the ZEISS Conversations webinar featuring renowned Director of Photography Meena Singh on Thursday, March 28th at 12pm PST / 3pm EST. Hear her insights about using ZEISS Supreme Prime Radiance lenses to create the look for the notable romantic comedy film, "Wedding Season." They will also discuss how she created the visual language for Sundance 2024 selected short film “Guts” and several documentary projects. Sign up for free here

Movie Book of the Month:

Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece

This is the definitive story of the making of 2001: A Space Odyssey, acclaimed today as one of the greatest films ever made, including the inside account of how director Stanley Kubrick and writer Arthur C. Clarke created this cinematic masterpiece.

Author Michael Benson explains how 2001 was made, telling the story primarily through the two people most responsible for the film, Kubrick and science fiction legend Arthur C. Clarke. Benson interviewed Clarke many times, and has also spoken at length with Kubrick’s widow, Christiane; with visual effects supervisor Doug Trumbull; with Dan Richter, who played 2001’s leading man-ape; and many others.A colorful nonfiction narrative packed with memorable characters and remarkable incidents, Space Odyssey provides a 360-degree view of this extraordinary work, tracking the film from Kubrick and Clarke’s first meeting in New York in 1964 through its UK production from 1965-1968, during which some of the most complex sets ever made were merged with visual effects so innovative that they scarcely seem dated today. A concluding chapter examines the film’s legacy as it grew into it current justifiably exalted status. Available here

From our Friends at Broadfield…

The Atomos Ninja bundled with Atomos Connect combines the newest 5" monitor/recorder & playback device with the latest Atomos Cloud features enabled by Atomos Connect. The free 6-month subscription to Atomos Cloud Studio enables camera-to-cloud, remote collaboration and review, cloud editing, live production and streaming. This complete solution will even include an accessory kit with rechargeable batteries, fast-charger, screen protector, travel case and more!

Browse here

Resource of the Month:

The Daily Drop

“The Daily Drop” is all about the tech, craft and business of producing content. The ongoing daily series (Mon-Fri) from Jem Schofield of theC47 focuses on video production and filmmaking with a core focus on education.

Here’s a recent episode that give’s Jem’s initial thoughts on OpenAI’s Sora and how it might impact our industry…

More episodes available here

Upcoming L.A. Event:

Cinelease Open House

Cinelease, known for providing the industry's most extensive array of grip, electrical and lighting equipment and full-service studios, opens its doors for a day of talks, tech, live music, games, food truck favorites, drafts & sodas, and out of this world presentations. The festivities run from noon to 8pm on March 16, 2024 at Cinelease headquarters in Los Angeles.

Cinelease has lined up something for everyone at their let-your-hair-down Open House: Cutting-edge tech from AC Lighting, ACT (AC Power), Aputure, ARRI, Camera Car, Creamsource, Elation, Illumination Dynamics, INDU, InnerCircle, Jagoteq, JL Fisher, K5600, Kino Flo, KOTO, LA North Studios, LiteGear, Leitz, Lightscape, LRX, Maccam, Matthews Studio Equipment, NBCUniversal / Cineo, Nanlux, Osram, Power Gems, Roe Visuals, Rosco, RST Visions in Color, Sony, Sumolight, TRP, RT Pro, TMB and more.

Learn more here

Featured NYC Event:

Cine Gear NY | March 14-16, 2024

Mark your calendars for March and head on out to the thriving Industry City complex along the Brooklyn Upper Bay waterside. Cine Gear’s studio-style event is gathering steam as state-of–the-art technology brands are preparing to reveal their latest & greatest gear in the historic Paper Factory Hall. New this year is Photo Focus, a one-day educational event dedicated to the art and craft of Still Photography.

Get your Free Passes here

Podcast Rewind:

Feb. 2024 - Ep. 26…

The Making Of is published by Michael Valinsky.

If you’d like to promote your company to over 11,500 leading film & TV pros reading this newsletter, please email us at: mvalinsky@me.com