Cheating Death: Final Destination 3 marks the fourth
collaboration between Rob McLachlan, ASC, CSC, and director James Wong.
The two previously merged their talent on Final
Destination, The One and
Willard– all of them visually stylish and
effects-heavy. Some new technology made a difference on this shoot-
specifically, the Arriflex 235 35mm camera and the Kodak Look Manager
System.
collaboration between Rob McLachlan, ASC, CSC, and director James Wong.
The two previously merged their talent on Final
Destination, The One and
Willard– all of them visually stylish and
effects-heavy. Some new technology made a difference on this shoot-
specifically, the Arriflex 235 35mm camera and the Kodak Look Manager
System.
Final Destination 3 focuses on a high school senior
who has a premonition of a fatal roller-coaster accident. "It was
crucial that the roller-coaster scene look like no other before," says
McLachlan. "There were no locked-off shots. We had several of the new
Arri 235 cameras mounted on small, wireless-controlled PowerPods
constantly moving. It was the only camera that wouldn’t be knocked off
by the coaster’s steel superstructure as the cars twisted and looped
through its course."
who has a premonition of a fatal roller-coaster accident. "It was
crucial that the roller-coaster scene look like no other before," says
McLachlan. "There were no locked-off shots. We had several of the new
Arri 235 cameras mounted on small, wireless-controlled PowerPods
constantly moving. It was the only camera that wouldn’t be knocked off
by the coaster’s steel superstructure as the cars twisted and looped
through its course."
Once he figured out how to get the shots, McLachlan had to ensure that
the look he had in mind would carry throughout the production. Because
he wanted to make sure everyone knew his intentions for nuances in the
look of each scene, he used the Kodak Look Manager System to
communicate with his various collaborators in VFX and post-production,
including the HD dailies timer at Technicolor in Vancouver.
the look he had in mind would carry throughout the production. Because
he wanted to make sure everyone knew his intentions for nuances in the
look of each scene, he used the Kodak Look Manager System to
communicate with his various collaborators in VFX and post-production,
including the HD dailies timer at Technicolor in Vancouver.
"My big concern was that the process of transferring film to tape for
HD dailies could alter what we intended dramatically," says McLachlan.
"KLMS let me show the timer what the film would look like after I
supervised the optical post process so he could match that look on the
dailies everyone was seeing."
HD dailies could alter what we intended dramatically," says McLachlan.
"KLMS let me show the timer what the film would look like after I
supervised the optical post process so he could match that look on the
dailies everyone was seeing."
KLMS also served as a previsualization tool, emulating the effect of
various stocks, filters and post-production processes. McLachlan says
the process was largely intuitive. "Two weeks prior to principal
photography, I was already running different looks and approaches by
the director without shooting a frame of film," he says.
various stocks, filters and post-production processes. McLachlan says
the process was largely intuitive. "Two weeks prior to principal
photography, I was already running different looks and approaches by
the director without shooting a frame of film," he says.
McLachlan shot digital stills using a Nikon D70 camera with a 17-55 mm
T2.8 lens. "That lens is incredible, and it was important to shoot the
digital stills at the stop I normally work at on film," he says. "I
printed reference stills on a Kodak EasyShare printer and kept them in
an album along with T-stops and lighting notes."
T2.8 lens. "That lens is incredible, and it was important to shoot the
digital stills at the stop I normally work at on film," he says. "I
printed reference stills on a Kodak EasyShare printer and kept them in
an album along with T-stops and lighting notes."
McLachlan also purchased a 17-inch LaCie CRT reference monitor and
calibrated it using Kodak Display Manager, a hardware/software system
included in KLMS that ensures everyone’s monitor is correctly
calibrated.
calibrated it using Kodak Display Manager, a hardware/software system
included in KLMS that ensures everyone’s monitor is correctly
calibrated.
“Eventually I was able to get pretty close just using the LCD screen on
my laptop,” he says. “I bought a top-of-the-line PowerBook G4 with
extra RAM to help speed things up.”
my laptop,” he says. “I bought a top-of-the-line PowerBook G4 with
extra RAM to help speed things up.”
McLachlan’s daily routine consisted of powering up and calibrating the
monitor, and setting the still camera to the camera film he was using,
exposure index and T-stop.
monitor, and setting the still camera to the camera film he was using,
exposure index and T-stop.
“Usually on the last rehearsal before shooting, I’d shoot a still frame
that matched as closely as possible the frame of the principal camera,”
he explains. “Later, I could download the images to my laptop and run
the software, adjusting the image using only the standard film timing
tools and emulating our anticipated release print stock. The results
were amazing. After a couple of cross checks between digital HD
projection and one-light dailies, I found the film-to-HD transfer to be
so close that I didn’t bother printing film anymore, saving us
additional money.
that matched as closely as possible the frame of the principal camera,”
he explains. “Later, I could download the images to my laptop and run
the software, adjusting the image using only the standard film timing
tools and emulating our anticipated release print stock. The results
were amazing. After a couple of cross checks between digital HD
projection and one-light dailies, I found the film-to-HD transfer to be
so close that I didn’t bother printing film anymore, saving us
additional money.
