My new experimental film shot w/ Leicina Special + ST1

[Nicholas Kovats]

This is my latest film shot back in late 2010 regarding my ideas involving bicycle based cinematography.

I utilized my robust Leitz Leicina Special camera which has an electromagnetic shutter and this in turn was connected to the ST1 controller. I configured a combination of time exposure (3s per frame)and time lapse (1 frame every 1.5s).

The camera was attached forward facing to my handle bars via an over engineered ballhead and Super clamp. It's rigidity partially absorbed but mostly transmitted the shockwaves from the cold ride. I used out of date Kodachrome 40 film circa 1981. The exposed film was sent to the last remaining Kodachrome lab just 2 weeks prior to being permanently shuttered. Kodachrome film is no more and was officially discontinued production by Kodak in 2009.

I suspect the film's age (29 years!) resulted in the silver metallic dyes not coupling correctly to the multiple emulsion layers.

I have decided to upload the full overscanned and edited image sequence, i.e. edge to edge. That is the Super 8 perforation to the left of the image.

A big thank you to Martin Reiss as the "ghost rider" who can be occasionally glimpsed in front my rig!

http://vimeo.com/35695252

[carllooper]

This short film is really quite astonishing. The means by which it was produced doesn't really prepare you for what becomes visible, halucinatory and mesmersing in this work. It's as if electrical signals had been liberated from some prison in which they were otherwise trapped. What must be random correlations between sound and image conspire to become algorithmic instead, as if under the power of some otherwise intangible force of nature. A beautiful and poetic work. Part of the beauty is the simplicity with which it's done, when compared to how else it might be done. But in the end, how else could it really be done but in the way it was.

thanks Nicholas

Carl

[Nicholas Kovats]

Thank you, Carl, for your kind words.

I am looking forward to your Leicina footage and concepts very much. By the way we projected my latest UP8 E100D footage on a standard 16mm projector as part of the 8Fest R8 workshop yesterday...and we nearly fell on our asses with the projected fall colors. Slightly exaggerated but the crispness of this stock is amazing. My friend who conducted the workshop and who is a local optical printer craftsmen/ film prof and has had a longterm symbiotic relationship with Kodachrome...was impressed with the color fidelity and considered the newish E100D a worthy successor.

Although we all agreed it does not have the subtle gradations of red that Kodachrome is famous for. Students also shot some Plus-X with the UP8 camera. I am considering reshooting this film with fresh E100D stock and the UP8 cam.

[Clapton Pond]

Cool film!

[grainy]

yeah, that's really cool! Very original in its own way, seems like something that would've been done before but if so, I sure haven't seen it. Very interesting!
G

[retrogrouch]

Very cool. It makes for an interesting study of cinematic beats, with the semi- regular movement of the street lights with the more predictable vibration from the bike. The leans during the turns, as were as the random elements. It reminds me of Norman Maclaren's work. It would be interesting to see (hear) what this sounded like on an optical track.

Nice work

RG

[woods01]

Really inspiring stuff and probably the best of the last minute Kodachrome films that I have seen. And to think you did it to my favorite Gang of Four song! I really like how you really just captured the street lights. I imagine it projected in a dark room is quite impressive.

Since you were doing such long exposures did you have your aperture as closed down as possible?

[Nicholas Kovats]

Thanks woods1.

Gang of Four is superlative stuff, indeed. Actually the predominate light source are car headlights. The Leicina St1 Controller exposure sequence was 3s per frame, 0.5s interval between frames and approximately f4/f5.6. I wanted the sharpest exposure possible.

I may reshoot this in UP8 format with a longer exposure frame (4-5s ?) to brighten the light points a bit. But I am not sure what Bolex animation motor is capable of this.

[woods01]

A Tobin Timelapse motor might be your best option, relatively affordable and more importantly still manufactured:
http://www.tobincinemasystems.com/index ... age590.htm

Though, if you're patient they turn up on eBay often. I was able to snag one off eBay for about $150 in the summer and its been collecting dust as I've been waiting for that magic combination of full moon + clear night + free time. But your film has given me a few new ideas to riff on instead.

[Nicholas Kovats]

But I was under the impression that one could not adjust the per frame exposure time, e.g. 3s per frame with the Tobin TLM? That only two exposure times were available?

[woods01]

Now I admit I have yet to run film with it but AFAIK you should be able to do a similar exposure. The
TTL motor has two settings Normal and Long Exposure. And each of those settings can switch between
minutes & seconds. The normal mode has a fixed shutter but with long exposure you can switch
between exposure times in seconds or minutes. But in long exposure mode you can't control the interval
between frames, that is fixed.

Check the motor manual on his site or you could probably just e-mail Tobin to see if his unit can do
what you want or he might be able to offer you a modification.

Other than the TTL, I think JK, ThingM and Steve's Cine Service used to offer timelapse motors. The
only other manufactured model I know of is the Revolution, definitely the best one available but
at just under $1000 you'd have to be pretty serious about your work!

http://www.intervalometers.com/rev/bolex/index.php

[Nicholas Kovats]

Thanks, woods01, for the info.

I checked out the manual at it appears that , yes, your stuck in Long Exposure mode with the following general sequences, e.g. exposure per frame + frame interval = n + (n-1) = 3 sec exposure per frame + 2 sec interval per frame = 3,2,3,2,3,2,3,2...

But I like the fact that the Tobin TTL is battery powered and fairly portable. If I do decide too reshoot this with the Bolex UP8 cam I will rent LIFT's Tobin TTL motor for testing purposes.

Cheers!

PS. I do have a lead on a very slick digital stepping motor for the Bolex with very precise and variable exposure times/ frame intervals but regrettably the CCU (Camera Control Unit) is massive and designed for the studio.