UNDERSTANDING WORKFLOW with guest alumnus, TIM KANG

ABOUT TIM KANG:

Before AFI, I earned a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University, worked as a senior research assistant at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and started a photography business on the side. During my second year at AFI, I assisted David Stump, ASC in writing his digital cinematography textbook and joined the ASC technology 'enlightment' subcommittee to develop a way to teach ACES, the new digital intermediate standard, to ASC members. Currently, I am now also in the ASC workflow subcommittee and freelance as a cinematographer, camera operator and DIT.

CLASS GOAL:
Through visual aids and discussion, this class will provide a technical overview of a film-based workflow for film and television and tie this background to the current digital age of filmmaking.

Introductory Thought:
Understanding workflow is to understand cinematography craft from a holistic point of view:
"Visualization is a conscious process of projecting the final photographic image in the mind before taking the first steps in actually photographing the subject... ...We must establish, before making the exposure, a plan for applying all technical controls in a manner that will contribute to the desired result. Once visualization and plan of procedure are established, the actual exposure and development of the negative become matters of purely mechanical execution. The methods applied to realize the visualized image constitute the craft of photography, and as such, must be given due attention. Our ability to produce a finished image that lives up to the potentials of our visualization will be limited by our command of craft. By study and practice we can achieve mastery of the craft, which we can then employ according to our creative intentions... ...We must learn to see intuitively as the lens/camera sees, and to understand how the negative and printing papers will respond. It is a stimulating process, and one with great creative potential."

- Ansel Adams, The Negative

OUTLINE OF TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED:

Practical class objective: Develop a structured scene-referred summary of the entire filmmaking imaging system and how its components combine to represent one's visualization

Exploratory questions:
Q1) What are the fundamental, unique components & personnel? Q2) What tools does the cinematographer have to control which aspects of the image?

Session 1:
Traditional theatrical film workflow A1) Components A2) Control tools Workflow unit of exposure Workflow 'file' result Traditional film/tv workflow telecine A1) Components A2) Control tools Workflow unit of exposure Workflow 'file' result

Session 2:
Film+Digital = DI or Rec709 A1) Components A2) Control tools Workflow unit of exposure Workflow 'file' result Transforms Define 'color space' Define 'look' Define 'transform' Define 'LUT'

Session 3:

Current digital workflow A1) Components A2) Control tools Workflow unit of exposure Workflow 'file' result Apply to AFI world Q1) what does image format quality mean when deciding between film vs. digital? Q2) What takes the most storage space and processing resources? Q3) How do we intelligently decide to pick a format that fits the story with its inherent optical/artistic qualities? Q4) What techniques can you use to communicate what the workflow (i.e., you!) needs to run well and achieve the creative vision? Q5) How can you effectively work with team members, on set crew, and post personnel?