American Cinematographer - February 2004 - 63

motion

pictures &
television
Register for Summer
Classes Now

through June 19
Acting

Cinematography
Directing
For

daylight scenes in the McNamara home, Baffa positions bounce boards above
help make the artifically created "daylight" look convincing.

Documentary

every

window to

looking at out the windows flatly but
evenly. We also have a couple of lOKs
out

there

to

simulate

sun- or moon¬

light; we gel them with varying levels
of CTO for day scenes and Full CTB
for night." Baffa likes to keep the lOKs
far back from the windows to help
maintain the feel of a single source.
To light the kitchen interior,
where a lot of family conversations
take place, Baffa placed Coop Lights
above the island

next to

the sink. The

also

the A-camera

zoom on

time; when

most

Music Videos
of the

doing handheld

Steadicam work, he switches to

prime. "I do love longer
lenses, though," he says. "I prefer the
shallower depth of field, especially
when I

point of emphasis to stand out from
the background. We can't always be
as long as I'd like, because some walls
on set can be
pulled and others can't.
The fact that

shoot for the 16x9

we

"a Panavision man" who has used the

features

company's

mentary look. Although
the
Nip/Tuck team wanted a more
"polished" aesthetic for their show,
they liked the kinetic energy that a

career,

gear for most of his
and he films Nip/Tuck with

Panaflex Gold and Gold II

cameras,

Super Speed primes and
275mm T2.8 11:1 Primo

folks

Panavision

a

24-

zoom.

"The

Hollywood took
wing years ago, and
we've developed a wonderful rela¬
tionship. They're great people and
they have great cameras. To have that
kind of support in this business is
priceless." He notes that he keeps the
me

at

under their

helps, because we
composing for

know that what we're
is the final format."

at

Nip/Tuck is shot handheld,
production
on

the series, his

members were all very aware
sister

upon

AA

| BFA | MFA Degrees

Personal Enrichment

Online

camera

handheld work is

Programs

crew

High School Scholarships
& Teacher Grants Available

of F/X's

show, The Shield, which
a handheld,
gritty, docu¬

handheld

Graduation

least

and he recalls that when
commenced

Over 80% Job Placement

State-of-the-Art Facilities

Baffa estimates that
half of

Sound

another

want an actor or

positioned a Coop above
dining-room table. "The Coops
are
very toppy, so they aren't as good
for faces," he remarks. "But they work
great for wider shots where there
needs to be an exposure level. When
we go in tighter, we bring in 8-by-8
frames of full grid from the side."
Baffa proudly declares himself
the

Screenwriting
Special Effects

a

35mm

widescreen format

crew

Producing

or

creates.

@
AcademyOfArtCollege
FOUNDED IN

SAN FRANCISCO 1929

"Our

they do

on

aggressive as
The Shield," says

1.800.544. A RTS

Baffa. "In fact,

we

sometimes try to

www.academyart.edu

what

keep it
but

as

even

not as

imperceptible

as

possible,

then it still adds that

bit of energy. We use
characters argue."

it

a

extra

lot when

79 New

Montgomery Street

San Francisco, CA 94105

Nationally Accredited by
ACICS, NASAD & FIDER (BFA-IAD)
American Cinematographer - February 2004

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - February 2004
