Busy Times for 2nd Unit

Jonathan Ames · October 24th, 2006, 08:27 AM

After an unbelievable Season 1, Season 2 starts November 1st after a 2-week hiatus after Season 1. We'll be publishing the schedule in the next few days and I wanted to thank all of you for your support. It's provided a basis for wonderful support form corporate America and led to discussions of a cable show that start next week. If there are any people you'd like to see here, let us know and we'll do our best to get them on.

Joe Bowey · October 24th, 2006, 06:35 PM

I said a few post back that your show should be on a cable channel. Thats great. What are the plans for a dvd? If I can work out a schedule I still would love to come out for a shoot.

Jonathan Ames · October 24th, 2006, 07:07 PM

Funny how things keep going without you. The crew here was split to take care of both 2nd Unit and El Papel and Paolo took the reins of 2nd Unit. When he said he was going to not miss a beat between seasons, I told him to take at least a week. Today, find that the team in fact didn't take a break and continued to pump out quality shows putting us in Week 3 of Season 2 already. Thank you, Paolo. My team's head's been down prepping for the feature we start next week and it's great to know I'm really not needed. Now that's what I call a quality company.

Jonathan Ames · October 24th, 2006, 07:09 PM

We'll be moving to create the Season 1 DVD after we complete prin ciple photography on El Papel in early December. We've had alot of interest in these and I'll make sure you're first on the list.

Paolo Ciccone · October 27th, 2006, 08:48 PM

You're welcome J :)

Paolo Ciccone · November 1st, 2006, 10:09 AM

We all know how AfterEffects is the industry standard for compositing. The forte of AE, besides the greatness infused by Adobe, is the wealth of plug-ins available.
One plugin that you should consider is the "3D Invigorator" by ZaxWerks ( http://www.zaxwerks.com/ ). 3DI turns your AF worksp[ace into a 3D modelling program that alows to make great 3D Animated titles in seconds. It can also import Adobe Illustrator files and turn every path into a 3D object that you can rotate, animate, texture with just a few mouse clicks. It's the 3D program for people like us, compositors who are too busy to become 3D artists.
The combination of AfterEffects, Illustrator and 3D Invigorator creates an amazing toolset for the creative professional. Take a look at the examples on the website. There is a downloadable demo for 3DI and their documentation, for once, is nopt written by orangutangs with typewriters ;)

Jonathan Ames · November 8th, 2006, 10:37 AM

As you know, 2nd Unit has dozens of filmmakeras make the trek to the studio each month to see exactly what it is that we do. Sometines, minds meet and we invite someone to join the permanent crew and John Salemme is just such a person. Armed with a ton of experience with the JVC 100, as you know, one of our favorite sub-$10k cameras, John wants to make the next step into studio production learning how scripts, budgeting, scheduling and the thousand other aspects of professional filmmaking come together not to mention the fact that he gets to play with the the Sony F-series cameras, Fujinon lenses and Tiffen filters on a regular basis. In addition to acting as a crew member, he'll be in charge of the Behind the Scenes of El Papel as we shoot our current feature and the updates on the website and this forum. We'll keep you posted as we progress but for now, welcome John!

Jonathan Ames · November 8th, 2006, 11:33 PM

One of the most wonderful things about producing is the limits, or, better said, discovering the lack thereof, of the equipment and the operators you're using. We began season 2 of 2nd Unit with a slew of new sponsors that we selected from corporations that saw the benefit of providing help to filmmakers looking to improve their craft. When we selected Sony and Fujinon, Tiffen and the others, little did we know the power we'd been provided. As you know, we've not only been shooting 2nd Unit but prepping "El Papel", a feature pilot for a new drama series. In prepping, we needed to see hnow far we could stretch the F-350s we selected; 1/2" cameras that we hoped would give us everything we needed in stead of using the industry-standard 2/3" cameras. When paired with the Fujinon glass we're using which includes 5, 12, 20 and 40mm primes, a 15Hac and the George Lucas 10X100, the results have been, so far, nothing short of spectacular. Now bear in mind, in true 2nd Unit fashion, the cast and crew are all amateurs who have been given the opportunty to learn and work with sophisticated equipment; the next step up from the sub-$10k cameras and lenses we used in Season 1. So how successful have the shots been so far? Successful enough that they've ordered a duplicate production in Spanish language to air on Spanish Network Television.

We sit at the doorstep of a new dawn in production; the evolution of Spanish television from the traditional tele-novella / soap operas to full-blown dramatic series on par with 24, The Unit, NCIS and others and we're truly grateful to have been asked to produce El Papel in Spanish.

In shooting El Papel, we are unbelievably impressed with the latitude available in the F-350s when paired with the correct lighting, lenses and overall cinematography and can't begin to thank Sony, Fujinon, Tiffen, Apple and Adobe enough for the support they have given us in producing both 2nd Unit and El Papel not to mention LitePanels. We shot a 30-minute interview for Telemundo on set today which will appear on 2nd Unit in a couple of weeks which explains the premise of the pilot and will give you a glimpse into the show as well. Suffice to say for now that the initial 18 minutes are exceedingly difficult shots in a moonlit apartment with candles and a single window through which the moonlight comes as the sole sources of illumination; a challenge for film or a 2/3" camera much less a 1/2" camera which popular consensus holds doesn't have sufficient latitude to do features or television drama justice. As yopu will see, it does.

As we progress, we'll be keeping you apprised of what we discover as we shoot and, of course, posting information, stills and video on www.2nd-Unit.tv to illustrate our progress but for now, thank you so much for your e-mails of support, comment, questions, advice and requests for participation on the crew. It's gotten to the point that instead of trying to answer the hundreds of e-mails we get, Paolo is going to introduce a blog on the site to handle the traffic... in his spare time of course between these 2 rpoductions and running his motorcycle business. And finally, again, to Paolo, Mike, Scott, John, Chuck, Michael, Asa and Dwight, thanks for the work you do.

Jonathan Ames · January 1st, 2007, 10:56 PM

Thank you for all of the "Notes" reminding us that we promissed to complete Season 2 and begin Season 3 with no break at the begining of the New Year. We're happy to say that that time is here and we'll be airing Episode 4 of Season 2 this coming Friday.

El Papel's principle photography in both English and Spanish will conclude this coming Sunday and editing commences in earnest with only some cover shots to pick up. Speaking for the everyone at 2nd Unit, I can't thank Sony, Fujinon, Tiffen, Adobe and the other sponsors of both 2nd Unit and El Papel enough for thier unwavering support over the past 8 weeks. Gruelling 16-20 hour days 6 and sometimes 7 days a week producing a bi-lingual pilot is an awesome task made all the more challenging in a teaching setting like 2nd Unit is. The work of the actors will speak for itself when the pilot airs but I wanted to say a special thank you to the crew who really made unbelievable progress in moving from the 1/3" fomat to a true, professional line of Sony 350s, Fujinon 2/3" prime and CineZoom glass and Tiffen filters. Their work was and continues to be incredible and I'm proud to be associated with each and every one of them. I've asked each one of them to stay on if and when the pilot is picked up for series and it's becasue there's no one better equipped to shoot a truly remarkable series. From cinematography and operations to set decorating and gripping, each and every one of them is a credit to themselves and this industry. In a world of specialty, their broad experience and knowledge made possible by our incredible sponsors place them at the top of their field and I'd be honored to recommend them to anyone in studio or independent filmmaking. They will, no doubt go on to a long career in the entertainment industry. I only hope they stay around for at least the season of El Papel if and when, again, it receives its due consideration for more than just a pilot.

Again, to our sponsors, than you for the time and support in making El Papel possible during Season 2 of 2nd Unit and now it's time to get back to work.

Paolo Ciccone · January 26th, 2007, 08:19 PM

As promised, the second part of Rodney's interview is on-line. If you missed the previous episode, fear not because it's available, with all the past episodes in the "Past Episodes" page.

Enjoy!

Jonathan Ames · February 22nd, 2007, 11:31 PM

Reprinted from an articl.e with permission

TIFFEN A SPONSOR OF BRIDGE OVER DIGITAL DIVIDE & HAS KIT
At http://2nd-unit.tv, Jonathan Ames is creating a wealth of
how-to information on the tools & techniques for making digital
video less daunting for newcomers from analog realms. Tiffen is
not only a corporate sponsor of that effort, but also offering a
2U Scene Makers Kit ($120-860 msrp for sizes from 37mm to 4x5.6")
that includes a cool day-for-night filter, a polarizer & an 812
warming filter. Ask Hilary. Contact: Hilary Araujo, TIFFEN
COMPANY (Hauppauge, NY) 631-273-2500x1216
mailto:haraujo@tiffen.com http:/.tiffen.com

Now, as for availability and the like, here's what Tiffen is announcing:
After 7 months in development, Tiffen Corporation has released the 2nd Unit Scene Maker Kit available currently as follows:

TIFFEN Scene Makers Kit contains:
TIFFEN Day For Night Filter
TIFFEN 812® Warming Filter
TIFFEN Circular Polarizer (Round) or ULTRA Pol® Circular Polarizer

ITEM # DESCRIPTION LIST PRICE STATUS
582USMK1 58mm Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 126.99 IN STOCK
722USMK1 72mm Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 231.99 IN STOCK
822USMK1 82mm Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 337.99 IN STOCK
442USMK1 4x4 Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 532.50 IN STOCK

372USMK1 37mm Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 119.99 COMING SOON
622USMK1 62mm Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 165.99 COMING SOON
772USMK1 77mm Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 231.99 COMING SOON
456502USMK1 4 X 5.60 Scene Makers Kit $ 858.33 COMING SOON

Jonathan Ames · March 3rd, 2007, 11:45 PM

We're pleased to announce that Tiffen and Steadicam have elected to support 2nd Unit for the 3rd straight season which allows us to continue to bring quality individuals to our viewers via the web. All we can say is thank you for the continuing confidence corporations like Tiffen, Sony, Adobe, Studio Direct and Steadicam have in us.

Jonathan Ames · March 6th, 2007, 12:51 AM

On the heels of Tiffen's decision, Adobe today entered into a continuing agreement for 2007 with 2nd Unit in San Francisco closing the gap so to speak of the major supporters for the production that have elected to continue their support for a second straight year. The face of production is rapidly changing and we're pleased and proud to be able to continue to bring the best and brightest to you via 2nd Unit TV thanks to corporations like Adobe, Sony, Tiffen, Steadicam and Studio Direct.

Jonathan Ames · March 28th, 2007, 03:57 PM

OK. New post to make sure everyone gets it. The 2nd Annual party for 2nd Unit is at Circus Circus Casino KOA RV Park located at 500 Circus Circus Dr. From the Convention Center, come up Convention Center Drive towards the Las Vegas "Strip" and turn right at Las Vegas Blvd. Go north one street past the Circus Circus Casino and turn left on Circus Circus Dr. The entrance to the park is on the right about 400 yards up. I'll post the space number when we get there Saturday night. Food, drinks and everything else will be provided. Just bring your short, animation, feature or whatever on DVD for airing and judging on the big screen. First, second and third place prizes will be awarded by vote (no you can't vote for your own) this year graciously provided by our sponsors at Apple, Adobe and Tiffen/Steadicam. Yes that means FCP, After Effects and a selection of filters. We've come a long way in a short period of time thanks to everyone in this and the other DVInfo forums so it's our way of saying thanks.

Lisa Shofner · April 2nd, 2007, 11:35 AM

What time?

October 24th, 2006, 08:27 AM	#31
Jonathan Ames 2nd Unit TV Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 509	Season 2 Starting Up After an unbelievable Season 1, Season 2 starts November 1st after a 2-week hiatus after Season 1. We'll be publishing the schedule in the next few days and I wanted to thank all of you for your support. It's provided a basis for wonderful support form corporate America and led to discussions of a cable show that start next week. If there are any people you'd like to see here, let us know and we'll do our best to get them on.

October 27th, 2006, 08:48 PM	#35
Paolo Ciccone Trustee Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 1,116	You're welcome J :) __________________ Paolo http://www.paolociccone.com Demo Reel

November 1st, 2006, 10:09 AM	#36
Paolo Ciccone Trustee Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 1,116	AfterEffects tip #1 We all know how AfterEffects is the industry standard for compositing. The forte of AE, besides the greatness infused by Adobe, is the wealth of plug-ins available. One plugin that you should consider is the "3D Invigorator" by ZaxWerks ( http://www.zaxwerks.com/ ). 3DI turns your AF worksp[ace into a 3D modelling program that alows to make great 3D Animated titles in seconds. It can also import Adobe Illustrator files and turn every path into a 3D object that you can rotate, animate, texture with just a few mouse clicks. It's the 3D program for people like us, compositors who are too busy to become 3D artists. The combination of AfterEffects, Illustrator and 3D Invigorator creates an amazing toolset for the creative professional. Take a look at the examples on the website. There is a downloadable demo for 3DI and their documentation, for once, is nopt written by orangutangs with typewriters ;) __________________ Paolo http://www.paolociccone.com Demo Reel

November 8th, 2006, 10:37 AM	#37
Jonathan Ames 2nd Unit TV Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 509	Welcome to John Salamme As you know, 2nd Unit has dozens of filmmakeras make the trek to the studio each month to see exactly what it is that we do. Sometines, minds meet and we invite someone to join the permanent crew and John Salemme is just such a person. Armed with a ton of experience with the JVC 100, as you know, one of our favorite sub-$10k cameras, John wants to make the next step into studio production learning how scripts, budgeting, scheduling and the thousand other aspects of professional filmmaking come together not to mention the fact that he gets to play with the the Sony F-series cameras, Fujinon lenses and Tiffen filters on a regular basis. In addition to acting as a crew member, he'll be in charge of the Behind the Scenes of El Papel as we shoot our current feature and the updates on the website and this forum. We'll keep you posted as we progress but for now, welcome John!

November 8th, 2006, 11:33 PM	#38
Jonathan Ames 2nd Unit TV Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 509	Update One of the most wonderful things about producing is the limits, or, better said, discovering the lack thereof, of the equipment and the operators you're using. We began season 2 of 2nd Unit with a slew of new sponsors that we selected from corporations that saw the benefit of providing help to filmmakers looking to improve their craft. When we selected Sony and Fujinon, Tiffen and the others, little did we know the power we'd been provided. As you know, we've not only been shooting 2nd Unit but prepping "El Papel", a feature pilot for a new drama series. In prepping, we needed to see hnow far we could stretch the F-350s we selected; 1/2" cameras that we hoped would give us everything we needed in stead of using the industry-standard 2/3" cameras. When paired with the Fujinon glass we're using which includes 5, 12, 20 and 40mm primes, a 15Hac and the George Lucas 10X100, the results have been, so far, nothing short of spectacular. Now bear in mind, in true 2nd Unit fashion, the cast and crew are all amateurs who have been given the opportunty to learn and work with sophisticated equipment; the next step up from the sub-$10k cameras and lenses we used in Season 1. So how successful have the shots been so far? Successful enough that they've ordered a duplicate production in Spanish language to air on Spanish Network Television. We sit at the doorstep of a new dawn in production; the evolution of Spanish television from the traditional tele-novella / soap operas to full-blown dramatic series on par with 24, The Unit, NCIS and others and we're truly grateful to have been asked to produce El Papel in Spanish. In shooting El Papel, we are unbelievably impressed with the latitude available in the F-350s when paired with the correct lighting, lenses and overall cinematography and can't begin to thank Sony, Fujinon, Tiffen, Apple and Adobe enough for the support they have given us in producing both 2nd Unit and El Papel not to mention LitePanels. We shot a 30-minute interview for Telemundo on set today which will appear on 2nd Unit in a couple of weeks which explains the premise of the pilot and will give you a glimpse into the show as well. Suffice to say for now that the initial 18 minutes are exceedingly difficult shots in a moonlit apartment with candles and a single window through which the moonlight comes as the sole sources of illumination; a challenge for film or a 2/3" camera much less a 1/2" camera which popular consensus holds doesn't have sufficient latitude to do features or television drama justice. As yopu will see, it does. As we progress, we'll be keeping you apprised of what we discover as we shoot and, of course, posting information, stills and video on www.2nd-Unit.tv to illustrate our progress but for now, thank you so much for your e-mails of support, comment, questions, advice and requests for participation on the crew. It's gotten to the point that instead of trying to answer the hundreds of e-mails we get, Paolo is going to introduce a blog on the site to handle the traffic... in his spare time of course between these 2 rpoductions and running his motorcycle business. And finally, again, to Paolo, Mike, Scott, John, Chuck, Michael, Asa and Dwight, thanks for the work you do.

October 24th, 2006, 06:35 PM	#32
Joe Bowey Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Glendale, AZ Posts: 217	I said a few post back that your show should be on a cable channel. Thats great. What are the plans for a dvd? If I can work out a schedule I still would love to come out for a shoot.

October 24th, 2006, 07:07 PM	#33
Jonathan Ames 2nd Unit TV Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 509	Funny how things keep going without you. The crew here was split to take care of both 2nd Unit and El Papel and Paolo took the reins of 2nd Unit. When he said he was going to not miss a beat between seasons, I told him to take at least a week. Today, find that the team in fact didn't take a break and continued to pump out quality shows putting us in Week 3 of Season 2 already. Thank you, Paolo. My team's head's been down prepping for the feature we start next week and it's great to know I'm really not needed. Now that's what I call a quality company.

October 24th, 2006, 07:09 PM	#34
Jonathan Ames 2nd Unit TV Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 509	We'll be moving to create the Season 1 DVD after we complete prin ciple photography on El Papel in early December. We've had alot of interest in these and I'll make sure you're first on the list.

January 1st, 2007, 10:56 PM	#39
Jonathan Ames 2nd Unit TV Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 509	Tine to Get Back to Work Here Thank you for all of the "Notes" reminding us that we promissed to complete Season 2 and begin Season 3 with no break at the begining of the New Year. We're happy to say that that time is here and we'll be airing Episode 4 of Season 2 this coming Friday. El Papel's principle photography in both English and Spanish will conclude this coming Sunday and editing commences in earnest with only some cover shots to pick up. Speaking for the everyone at 2nd Unit, I can't thank Sony, Fujinon, Tiffen, Adobe and the other sponsors of both 2nd Unit and El Papel enough for thier unwavering support over the past 8 weeks. Gruelling 16-20 hour days 6 and sometimes 7 days a week producing a bi-lingual pilot is an awesome task made all the more challenging in a teaching setting like 2nd Unit is. The work of the actors will speak for itself when the pilot airs but I wanted to say a special thank you to the crew who really made unbelievable progress in moving from the 1/3" fomat to a true, professional line of Sony 350s, Fujinon 2/3" prime and CineZoom glass and Tiffen filters. Their work was and continues to be incredible and I'm proud to be associated with each and every one of them. I've asked each one of them to stay on if and when the pilot is picked up for series and it's becasue there's no one better equipped to shoot a truly remarkable series. From cinematography and operations to set decorating and gripping, each and every one of them is a credit to themselves and this industry. In a world of specialty, their broad experience and knowledge made possible by our incredible sponsors place them at the top of their field and I'd be honored to recommend them to anyone in studio or independent filmmaking. They will, no doubt go on to a long career in the entertainment industry. I only hope they stay around for at least the season of El Papel if and when, again, it receives its due consideration for more than just a pilot. Again, to our sponsors, than you for the time and support in making El Papel possible during Season 2 of 2nd Unit and now it's time to get back to work.

January 26th, 2007, 08:19 PM	#40
Paolo Ciccone Trustee Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 1,116	Rodney Charters - Part 2 As promised, the second part of Rodney's interview is on-line. If you missed the previous episode, fear not because it's available, with all the past episodes in the "Past Episodes" page. Enjoy! __________________ Paolo http://www.paolociccone.com Demo Reel

February 22nd, 2007, 11:31 PM	#41
Jonathan Ames 2nd Unit TV Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 509	Newest 2nd Unit/Tiffen Scene Maker Kit a Must-Have for the serious Filmmaker Reprinted from an articl.e with permission TIFFEN A SPONSOR OF BRIDGE OVER DIGITAL DIVIDE & HAS KIT At http://2nd-unit.tv, Jonathan Ames is creating a wealth of how-to information on the tools & techniques for making digital video less daunting for newcomers from analog realms. Tiffen is not only a corporate sponsor of that effort, but also offering a 2U Scene Makers Kit ($120-860 msrp for sizes from 37mm to 4x5.6") that includes a cool day-for-night filter, a polarizer & an 812 warming filter. Ask Hilary. Contact: Hilary Araujo, TIFFEN COMPANY (Hauppauge, NY) 631-273-2500x1216 mailto:haraujo@tiffen.com http:/.tiffen.com Now, as for availability and the like, here's what Tiffen is announcing: After 7 months in development, Tiffen Corporation has released the 2nd Unit Scene Maker Kit available currently as follows: TIFFEN Scene Makers Kit contains: TIFFEN Day For Night Filter TIFFEN 812® Warming Filter TIFFEN Circular Polarizer (Round) or ULTRA Pol® Circular Polarizer ITEM # DESCRIPTION LIST PRICE STATUS 582USMK1 58mm Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 126.99 IN STOCK 722USMK1 72mm Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 231.99 IN STOCK 822USMK1 82mm Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 337.99 IN STOCK 442USMK1 4x4 Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 532.50 IN STOCK 372USMK1 37mm Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 119.99 COMING SOON 622USMK1 62mm Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 165.99 COMING SOON 772USMK1 77mm Scene Makers Kit 1 $ 231.99 COMING SOON 456502USMK1 4 X 5.60 Scene Makers Kit $ 858.33 COMING SOON

March 3rd, 2007, 11:45 PM	#42
Jonathan Ames 2nd Unit TV Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 509	Tiffen Signs for 2nd Unit Support for 3rd Straight Season We're pleased to announce that Tiffen and Steadicam have elected to support 2nd Unit for the 3rd straight season which allows us to continue to bring quality individuals to our viewers via the web. All we can say is thank you for the continuing confidence corporations like Tiffen, Sony, Adobe, Studio Direct and Steadicam have in us.

March 6th, 2007, 12:51 AM	#43
Jonathan Ames 2nd Unit TV Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 509	Adobe Signs for 2007 On the heels of Tiffen's decision, Adobe today entered into a continuing agreement for 2007 with 2nd Unit in San Francisco closing the gap so to speak of the major supporters for the production that have elected to continue their support for a second straight year. The face of production is rapidly changing and we're pleased and proud to be able to continue to bring the best and brightest to you via 2nd Unit TV thanks to corporations like Adobe, Sony, Tiffen, Steadicam and Studio Direct.

March 28th, 2007, 03:57 PM	#44
Jonathan Ames 2nd Unit TV Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 509	NAB Party/Short, Animation or Whatever Competition OK. New post to make sure everyone gets it. The 2nd Annual party for 2nd Unit is at Circus Circus Casino KOA RV Park located at 500 Circus Circus Dr. From the Convention Center, come up Convention Center Drive towards the Las Vegas "Strip" and turn right at Las Vegas Blvd. Go north one street past the Circus Circus Casino and turn left on Circus Circus Dr. The entrance to the park is on the right about 400 yards up. I'll post the space number when we get there Saturday night. Food, drinks and everything else will be provided. Just bring your short, animation, feature or whatever on DVD for airing and judging on the big screen. First, second and third place prizes will be awarded by vote (no you can't vote for your own) this year graciously provided by our sponsors at Apple, Adobe and Tiffen/Steadicam. Yes that means FCP, After Effects and a selection of filters. We've come a long way in a short period of time thanks to everyone in this and the other DVInfo forums so it's our way of saying thanks. Last edited by Jonathan Ames; March 28th, 2007 at 04:52 PM.

April 2nd, 2007, 11:35 AM	#45
Lisa Shofner Major Player Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 373	What time? __________________ [http://www.ljparkerphotography.com] photos [http://www.youtube.com/darkdragonvegas] videos