Master Class with Michael Negrin, ASC:
Lighting and Blocking for Two-Cameras
OUR GUEST
This week's guest will be cinematographer, Michael Negrin, ASC.
As the son of an accomplished cinematographer, Sol Negrin ASC, young Michael Negrin had the opportunity to visit film sets starting at age eight. Young Negrin was hooked. His dad's assistants taught him how to load film magazines when he was thirteen which enabled him to start an advanced apprenticeship. The elder Negrin worked on early rock music films such as Concert for Bangladesh and John Lennon’s One To One stereo simulcast for ABC, which figured heavily in Michael's start in the music video area. Upon graduating from New York University, he promptly began shooting and producing music promos for Billy Joel, just as MTV was taking off.
In 1984-85 he shot several videos for Billy Joel that included Uptown Girl, Tell Her About It and For the Longest Time. Later he photographed Time After Time for Cindy Lauper, which earned an American Music Video Award for Michael and for the director Eddie Griles. He found himself shooting a greater mix of commercials as well, including fashion and beauty spots with the likes of Andi McDowell, Claudia Schiffer, Elle McPherson and Vanessa Williams.
In 1987, Negrin shot his first feature, an indie project starring Shelly Winters, titled Touch of a Stranger. In 1993 he shot a Roger Corman feature titled Saturday Night Special which aired on ShowTime. Also in ‘93, he photographed his first hour-long documentary/concert special for PBS on Billy Joel. The following year, he traveled to Hong Kong, Amsterdam and Zagreb Croatia to shoot Night Watch, an action adventure yarn starring Pierce Brosnan for New Line and USA Pictures. In 1995 -1996 Negrin shot 18 episodes of a VIACOM series titled Diagnosis Murder for CBS Television. In 1997 he shot a romantic comedy for the Shooting Gallery called Hudson River Blues, which premiered on the Romance Channel. He also photographed the pilot for Charmed for the WB starring Shannon Dougherty. Negrin shot additional principal photography on the NBC series THE WEST WING as well as the FOX series THE O.C.
A feature shot in New Orleans just before Hurricane Katrina, LOCAL COLOR, opened the Tribeca film Festival and starred Ray Liotta, Armin Mueller Stahl and Ron Pearlman. That was followed by HOMELAND SECURITY, a feature film starring Antonio Banderas and Meg Ryan as well as the Holly Hunter series SAVING GRACE for TNT. In 2008 and 09 Negrin shot LIFE for NBC Universal starring Damian Lewis as well several episodes of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES.
He currently completed the series HELLO LADIES for HBO.
Below are links to his imdb, website, resume and a great short interview about Michael Negrin and his career.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0624481/
http://michaelnegrinasc.com/michaelnegrinasc.com/Home_Page.html
http://www.innovativeartists.com/upload/NEGRIN.MICHAEL.web.resume.pdf
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michael-negrin-asc/1/616/258
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tyx34-2o5M
GOAL OF CLASS: Lighting and Blocking for Two-Cameras
How do you approach lighting for a two-camera shoot efficiently and within the visual beats of the scene?
In a two-camera shoot, how do you light for two cameras without sacrificing the lighting on your lead actress and making her look at her best?
What tools and techniques have Michael developed to make his setups fast, but beautiful (i.e use of kinos)?
What are the secrets Michael’s uses for shooting television?
These questions and many more questions will be explored with Michael Negrin, ASC.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
1. Please check out Michael Negrin’s material that I have provided above. We will take the first hour or so of the class to speak with Michael about his career, work and techniques. SO PLEASE BE PREPARED!!!!
2. Attached you will find a draft scene that we will loosely base our lighting workshop on. Please read and study the scene. Come up with ideas how you would approach the scene with two-cameras and we will see how your ideas match Michael Negrin’s appproach.
TECHNICAL SPECS:
Shooting with (2) Sony F3s
Ultra Prime Set 16, 24, 32, 50, 85, 135
Angeneiux Zoom 25-250mm
Lighting and Blocking for Two-Cameras
OUR GUEST
This week's guest will be cinematographer, Michael Negrin, ASC.
As the son of an accomplished cinematographer, Sol Negrin ASC, young Michael Negrin had the opportunity to visit film sets starting at age eight. Young Negrin was hooked. His dad's assistants taught him how to load film magazines when he was thirteen which enabled him to start an advanced apprenticeship. The elder Negrin worked on early rock music films such as Concert for Bangladesh and John Lennon’s One To One stereo simulcast for ABC, which figured heavily in Michael's start in the music video area. Upon graduating from New York University, he promptly began shooting and producing music promos for Billy Joel, just as MTV was taking off.
In 1984-85 he shot several videos for Billy Joel that included Uptown Girl, Tell Her About It and For the Longest Time. Later he photographed Time After Time for Cindy Lauper, which earned an American Music Video Award for Michael and for the director Eddie Griles. He found himself shooting a greater mix of commercials as well, including fashion and beauty spots with the likes of Andi McDowell, Claudia Schiffer, Elle McPherson and Vanessa Williams.
In 1987, Negrin shot his first feature, an indie project starring Shelly Winters, titled Touch of a Stranger. In 1993 he shot a Roger Corman feature titled Saturday Night Special which aired on ShowTime. Also in ‘93, he photographed his first hour-long documentary/concert special for PBS on Billy Joel. The following year, he traveled to Hong Kong, Amsterdam and Zagreb Croatia to shoot Night Watch, an action adventure yarn starring Pierce Brosnan for New Line and USA Pictures. In 1995 -1996 Negrin shot 18 episodes of a VIACOM series titled Diagnosis Murder for CBS Television. In 1997 he shot a romantic comedy for the Shooting Gallery called Hudson River Blues, which premiered on the Romance Channel. He also photographed the pilot for Charmed for the WB starring Shannon Dougherty. Negrin shot additional principal photography on the NBC series THE WEST WING as well as the FOX series THE O.C.
A feature shot in New Orleans just before Hurricane Katrina, LOCAL COLOR, opened the Tribeca film Festival and starred Ray Liotta, Armin Mueller Stahl and Ron Pearlman. That was followed by HOMELAND SECURITY, a feature film starring Antonio Banderas and Meg Ryan as well as the Holly Hunter series SAVING GRACE for TNT. In 2008 and 09 Negrin shot LIFE for NBC Universal starring Damian Lewis as well several episodes of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES.
He currently completed the series HELLO LADIES for HBO.
Below are links to his imdb, website, resume and a great short interview about Michael Negrin and his career.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0624481/
http://michaelnegrinasc.com/michaelnegrinasc.com/Home_Page.html
http://www.innovativeartists.com/upload/NEGRIN.MICHAEL.web.resume.pdf
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michael-negrin-asc/1/616/258
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tyx34-2o5M
GOAL OF CLASS: Lighting and Blocking for Two-Cameras
How do you approach lighting for a two-camera shoot efficiently and within the visual beats of the scene?
In a two-camera shoot, how do you light for two cameras without sacrificing the lighting on your lead actress and making her look at her best?
What tools and techniques have Michael developed to make his setups fast, but beautiful (i.e use of kinos)?
What are the secrets Michael’s uses for shooting television?
These questions and many more questions will be explored with Michael Negrin, ASC.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
1. Please check out Michael Negrin’s material that I have provided above. We will take the first hour or so of the class to speak with Michael about his career, work and techniques. SO PLEASE BE PREPARED!!!!
2. Attached you will find a draft scene that we will loosely base our lighting workshop on. Please read and study the scene. Come up with ideas how you would approach the scene with two-cameras and we will see how your ideas match Michael Negrin’s appproach.
TECHNICAL SPECS:
Shooting with (2) Sony F3s
Ultra Prime Set 16, 24, 32, 50, 85, 135
Angeneiux Zoom 25-250mm