MUSINGS

Personal experiences, opinions and predictions about the nature of our wonderful industry and what it might hold for you in the future.

"self -portrait"

11/04/2024

Here I am operating on "Sinners" filming here in Florida....

"Exposure"

09/05/2023

8/28/2023 EXPOSURE By Mark Vargo, ASC All cameras have a few things in common. One second of a movie is a sequence of 24 still photographs. Or simply stated: 2...

"Aspect Ratio Script"

04/15/2019

This project took longer than most to complete for two main reasons: research and graphics - and I'm slow at both. Here is the finished voice over for those that...

"Neutral Density Filters"

02/04/2019

Neutral Density Filters are used as a means to control exposure. The denser the filter, the more you must compensate by opening up the lens iris. Neutral Density filters are...

"Testing"

06/17/2018

“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” - Albert Einstein Passionately curious – you gotta love that. Curiosity is a huge building block in our creative process...

"Why Shoot a Gray Card?"

05/25/2018

Think of a gray card as a standard - like 24 frames per second. A gray card, properly exposed, is an established standard or baseline in all of photography -...

"Framing Terms"

05/24/2018

It may sound like a very basic thing – but many young filmmakers don’t know the proper terminology for framing. Believe me, you’ll learn it quick once a director or...

"Prep"

05/21/2018

One of the first things I ask after being hired is, “How much prep time will I have?” It’s a very important question because preparing for a project is in...

"Scouting"

05/17/2018

I’ve always liked scouting because it gets everyone together outside of the office. Travel time in the van is spent getting to know each other and perhaps discussing new details...

"Selznick on Menzies"

05/17/2018

RE: “Gone With The Wind” The first known use of the title “Production Designer”. This David O. Selznick quote from eighty years ago is as good a definition of a...

"Thoughts on Camera Operating"

05/10/2018

Yours truly behind the "B" Camera on "The Way Back" Much more than panning and tilting. To be the camera operator on a project means you see all the performances...

"Analog Planning Still Works!"

05/10/2018

Here’s a tried and true tip that’s fun and still relevant. Every so often we have to shoot a group of people against a green screen to be composited with...

"What’s the Temperature of your White Balance?"

04/04/2017

Filters have been replaced by scores of creative options at your fingertips! Color Temperature. noun: the temperature at which a black body would emit radiation of the same color...

"Some Sports Tips"

02/02/2017

This fall I’ve been working on getting better at shooting volleyball. The gyms here in Montana are old and poorly lit. Last season I kept my shutter at 1/250th...

"The Value of a Histogram"

02/02/2017

This is less a rant or even a clarion call. Think of it as a peer review… ...concerning Histograms. “When you can measure what you are speaking about, and...

"Small Chip, Big Chip"

02/02/2017

(micro 4/3 v. full frame: magnification ) In the final analysis I think you’ll want both. Quality versus pack ability, price versus practicality – lots to talk about, but not...

"Storyboards: The Imaging Begins."

02/02/2017

The collage of storyboards pictured above is a good cross sample of the boards I’ve worked with in my career. In the eighties most visual effects companies had in-house art...

"A Technicolor Camera That Works!"

02/02/2017

I’m down in Los Angeles looking for work - but I have lots of friends here too. One of them is a mentor of mine named Richard Edlund, ASC...

"Train to Nowhere"

02/02/2017

I love trains, grew up with them – and go out of my way to get on one. I’m also a realist. When I heard that legislators in Sacramento...

"John Glenn 1921-2016"

02/02/2017

Me and my entire second grade class saw John Glenn blastoff - becoming the first American to orbit the Earth on Feb 20, 1962. That was a big deal...

"Learn The Terms"

02/02/2017

THE MARK OF A SMOOTHLY RUN SET IS GOOD COMMUNICATION. We’re losing the light! – welcome to the time honored mad scramble as the sun is setting. We’ve all been...

"A Tale of Two Meters"

02/02/2017

If I could only afford to buy one light meter it would be a spot meter. An incident meter reads light falling on the subject. Hold this meter in...

"Forensic Color Analysis"

10/27/2016

I spent several minutes trying to figure out what to call this post and I’m still not sure I got it right. You decide! Imagine yourself at this lovely...

"Routine Test Renders Surprise Result!"

10/25/2016

For someone who enjoys testing and preaches it world wide, I should have known better. This all started when I agreed to shoot a volleyball “skills” video for my daughter...

"Embrace the Inverse square Law!"

10/25/2016

To some, the science of cinematography is like that pile of peas on your plate. You know they're healthy - but you rarely go there first. Blame it on teachers...

"Highlighting Scripts"

10/25/2016

Highlighting is the first step in the long haul of turning the written word into a motion picture. A screenplay informs each department of its artistic, technical and logistical responsibilities...

"How to calibrate your meter at home"

10/25/2016

I live in a rural area and get calls for jobs that never leave me enough time to get my meters calibrated professionally. I’ve devised a system that works for...

"Blue Screen Process - circa 1980"

08/12/2016

The following submission is a verbatim copy of the script for Blue Screen 1980. (Burn In) I have wanted to make this video for a long time. Every so...

"SALEM: Beyond the halfway point!"

04/05/2015

Salem, thus far… (April 5, 2015) We are now into our 9th episode of Season 2 - (9 of 13) and I must say, this has been quite a...

"film quiz answers"

12/09/2014

What does "shallow" depth of field mean? The distance between what’s in focus and soft is very short. What is an F-Stop? Is one of many iris settings on...

"Key Collaborators: The Production Designer"

12/09/2014

I love art - wish I could draw better, paint better and be good at Photoshop. Production designers do all of these things - and at a very high level...

"The Power of a Reference"

12/04/2014

As you build your network and attain seniority, sooner or later someone is going to call you for a reference about someone you have worked with. I call for...

"Operator Guidelines"

11/29/2014

I handed this out to my gang of operators for the pilot, "Secrets of the Heart" - a concert show featuring legendary singer/songwriters. Camera Operator Guidelines Welcome to “Secrets...

"New Film Class"

11/29/2014

I presented this proposal to the Dean of the film school after she asked me the question, "What do you do on the 2nd Unit?" Many people don't realize...

"Best Job Ever"

11/29/2014

I wrote this article for the ASC newsletter - GIG OF A LIFETIME... BY MARK VARGO, ASC "THE WAY BACK" (2010) DIRECTED BY PETER WEIR * DP: RUSSELL BOYD...

"The 5 “Senses” of a Shot."

11/17/2014

Focal Length, Movement, Composition, Focus & Lens Height The other day I was talking to a young filmmaker about their reel and suggested that they shoot some new material...

"An Amazing Little Camera"

11/03/2014

On “King Tut”, our director, David Von Ancken wanted me to come up with a small camera that we could rig in dynamic, (ie: hazardous) places during the action...

"Adios Morocco!"

10/28/2014

Goodbye Ouarzazate! 10/26/2014 The following excerpt is the final post and conclusion to the TUT BLOG - started in August. Final Thoughts - Travelling the world is one of...

"Additional thoughts on testing -"

07/29/2014

I just posted a new video on Testing and it barely scratches the surface regarding the virtue of the practice. I test all the time and for a really good...

"Make a chair dolly for under $100"

06/20/2014

You can build a “CHAIR DOLLY” for under $100 Some people call them “BUTT DOLLIES" but I don’t like that term – just GOOGLE it and see for yourself! Yikes...

"Notes on Salem"

06/11/2014

SALEM - season one is in the can - season two starts January 2015. What a tremendous experience. Perfect? Nope – but what project is? There is always something...

"Key Collaborators: The Camera Operator"

05/26/2014

In addition to my duties as a cinematographer, I am a camera operator and a fan of camera operators. Many people say that the best job on the set...

"Guest Muser - Cory Geryak - Gaffer"

05/26/2014

The role of the Chief Lighting Technician, or Gaffer, on a motion picture, is a balance of creativity and technical knowledge. I have had the privilege of collaborating with...

"Guest Muser - Scott Fuller - Camera Operator"

05/22/2014

Dateline: May 20, 2014 The first time I ever looked through a real camera, I was hooked. I was about six or seven years old. The camera was a...

"The Joy of Dailies"

05/02/2014

I've been a part of the film industry for a long time and have seen many changes since my first days on set. Not all of the changes have...

"Guest Muser - Courtenay Miles - 1st AD"

05/01/2014

One day I would like to publish a collection of "How I got into the business" stories. I think if young people could read all of the amazing and...

"How to shoot a 2 element composite!"

04/25/2014

"If an actor can’t travel to a distant or exotic location." The following musing will review the step by step process most experienced visual fx supervisors follow to obtain...

"Thinking of changing your major?"

04/21/2014

Recently, because of actor availability, production was suspended on SALEM - the television show that I am co-cinematographer on. I flew back to Montana for a week and happily...

"Key Collaborators: The First A.C."

02/17/2014

The First Assistant/Focus Puller (two different titles/same job!) *There are four key people the Cinematographer will hire while building the crew. 1-Gaffer 2-Key Grip 3-Camera Operator 4- Focus Puller...

"It was 50 years ago today."

02/09/2014

I have a few vivid memories and one of them occurred 50 years ago tonight, February 9, 1964. As a family, we did three things together – went to...

"I make shot lists."

02/01/2014

Years ago when I first started directing - I remember being annoyed by AD’s and producers that wanted to see a shot list from me. “Isn’t what we’re going to...

"Key Collaborators: The Gaffer"

01/26/2014

- A new series highlighting the relationship a DP has with key creative personnel. Gaffer My friend Jasmine in Australia asked that I write about a DP’s relationship with...

"My New Gig - winter 2014"

01/20/2014

I’m excited to be a part of the camera crew for a new dramatic TV series entitled SALEM. The show takes place in 17th century New England, (Shreveport, Louisiana)...

"GRIP IT GOOD script"

12/26/2013

I have a crazy creative process and the following is the VO script for "Grip it Good". There is no shot list per se - because I add and...

"History Repeats Itself!"

12/26/2013

I just had a wonderful 3 weeks finishing up the principal photography on COSMOS : A SpaceTime Odyssey for FOX . Thirty-three years ago, Carl Sagan wrote and hosted...

"Grip Lighting"

11/12/2013

Cinematographers are freaks about light. Adding it, taking it away, leaving it hard, softening it, bouncing it, skipping it, coloring it, shaping it, letting it fall off ... Each...

"Consultation Update"

11/05/2013

I’ve been very impressed with the quality of questions asked by everyone who has booked a consultation with me thus far. Some have been in regards to a career...

"WORKING WITH ANIMALS"

09/09/2013

I’ve worked on 15 feature films that have relied on animal actors, and here are the animal species I have directed and photographed: dogs, cats, mice, parrots, horses, bears, wolves...

"SYLLABUS - MTA - 255 - Cinematography I"

08/16/2013

Welcome! Our class is designed to introduce the participants to the process of photographing a narrative feature film as the Cinematographer. Prep, Principle Photography and Post-Production are the universal...

"Film Lives!"

07/30/2013

“I may never shoot on film again.” (from a recent post - Is Film Dead?) Well, less than a week after writing this false prophecy I was on a...

"Finding a Job"

07/16/2013

I get asked about this frequently. First, you have to go where the work is and that is not necessarily Los Angeles. I don’t recommend L.A. because they aren’t making...

"Is Film Dead?"

07/16/2013

Lets see now. Will we really miss scratches, cinch marks, edge fog and hairs in the gate? Torn perfs, Fujifilm, neg lost in transit, 500 asa? Dailies on new...

"A quick comment on Directors"

07/16/2013

I have heard people say that making a film is like being in a battle. I think combat veterans might disagree just a little bit. However, if you like...

"DP Workshop"

07/16/2013

A few years ago I did a workshop from this document, you might find it interesting! - MV Being a Cinematographer - Mark Vargo asc Personal Intro – Condensed...

"Film Quiz"

07/16/2013

Recently, I taught two levels of Cinematography at our local University. I handed this questionnaire out on the first day of class to gauge the knowledge of the class...

"Thoughts on Agents"

07/16/2013

Agent: a person who manages business, financial or contractual matters for an actor, performer or writer. Well almost. There are “above the line” agents that represent actors, directors, writers...

"Welcome!"

05/07/2013

I am thrilled you are visiting the website, and I hope you find it useful, thought provoking and maybe even entertaining. Creating this website establishes a new phase in...