Dance New Amsterdam Theater
February 20, 2012 7:30 pm
$10 for DFA or DNA Members; $25 for Non-Members

Google Map
280 Broadway (entrance on 35 Chambers), New York, NY, United States, 10007

RSVP to brighid@dancefilms.org with Dance Film Lab in the subject line to reserve your place.

Screening excerpts of the key films that every filmmaker should know.  Focusing both on dance film and “traditional” films, this masterclass gives attendees an overview of development of film techniques, aesthetics and idioms, and discussion of concepts and the development of the cinematic form.

Instructor: Alla Kovgan
Alla Kovgan is a Boston-based filmmaker, born in Moscow (Russia). Her films and films that she co-directed have been presented worldwide including at the Sundance, Rotterdam, Toronto, Melbourne, Durban, Oberhausen, Clemont-Ferrand, MOMA, Louvre, Centre Pompidou, PBS (US), ZDF (Germany) and numerous others. Alla’s most recent film NORA (2008), her collaboration with the British filmmaker David Hinton, is an art film – a poetic biography of the Zimbabwean choreographer Nora Chipaumire. NORA has been an official selection of over 80 festivals, received 23 awards and will be broadcast on PBS in 2010. The two latest documentaries, which Alla co-directed and edited, an Emmy-nominated “Traces of the Trade” (2007) and “My perestroika” (2009) premiered at Sundance and on P.O.V. (PBS). Since 1999, Alla has been involved into interdisciplinary collaborations – creating intermedia performances (with KINODANCE Company), dance films and documentaries about dance such as “Movement (R)evolution Africa” (with Joan Frosch). Alla’s projects have been supported by Open Society Institute, LEF Foundation, Trust for Mutual Understanding, Bank of America Celebrity Series, among others. Since 2000, she has taught and curated dance film and avant-garde cinema worldwide as the Programmer of St. Petersburg Dance Film Festival KINODANCE (Russia) and as a co-Curator of Balagan Film Series (Boston). In 2009, Alla was awarded a Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellowship and a Brother Thomas Fellowship for artists working at a high level of excellence and creativity.

En Dedans, Gabrielle Lamb

New Yorkers and dance film-lovers from around the world look forward to the Dance On Camera Festival each year. For the past 40 years, this annual festival has been the central anchor and source for new dance on film. The 40^th edition of the Dance On Camera Festival will take place from January 27-31 at the Walter Reade Theater as well as the new Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center at Lincoln Center.

While we at Move the Frame tend to focus primarily on dance made for the screen, the festival’s programmers have always made an effort to encompass the vast range of styles and genre’s that make up dance film. “We try to reach far and wide to find films that connect dance and camera in ways that will surprise and inspire viewers to deepen their interest in both mediums,” says Joanna Ney, co-curator of the festival. “This year’s selection offers a diversity of subject, style and genre aimed at the traditionalist as well as the iconoclast.”

Dance enthusiasts will find many documentaries about dance luminaries such as Natalia Makarova and Robert Wilson, historic dance presenters and companies such as Jacob’s Pillow, the Joffrey Ballet, and Pilobolus, and innovative choreographer Wayne McGregor. Film enthusiasts will enjoy innovative shorts by inspired directors such as Clara Van Gool, Pontus Lidberg, and New York’s own Jody Oberfelder.

In another post we’ll share with you our personal picks for the festival, but for now, go to DFA and the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s websites to see the full lineup, as well as schedule and ticket information.

With its sleek and beautiful presentation, savvy programming, and multi-disciplinary approach, The Netherlands’ Cinedans Festival is one of the greatest events of the year for dance film. The line-up this year promises not disappoint with new premieres by well-loved directors: Thierry de Mey (LA VALSE) and Clara Van Gool (COUP DE GRÂCE); new documentaries about well-loved choreographers: Jiri Kylian (JI?Í KYLIÁN: MÉMOIRES D’OUBLIETTES) and Lucinda Childs (LUCINDA CHILDS’ DANCE); and innovative installations that expand the concept of dance to new realms never before possible: DANCE ENGINE [interactive game] and the wearable film WHEN WE MEET AGAIN.

This year Cinedans continues to be progressive and visionary for the field. Besides offering regular screening programs, they have instituted a contest for One Minute Dance Films, a selection of 24 of which will be featured on various monitors throughout the festival. Other innovative programs feature 3D dance films and online dance films culled from the web. Aspiring filmmakers will appreciate the PITCH SESSION on Dec. 4th where attendees can pitch their ideas to a panel of dance film distributors and producers.

Mixing high art with low art, new and old, Cinedans gets the balance just right, and shows us why dance film is so vibrant and exciting today.

For more information and to view the entire festival schedule and programs go to: http://cinedans.nl

BLACK TRAIN IS COMING by John Williams

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 6:30PM-8:00PM
New York Film Academy, Union Square Screening Room
100 East 17th Street
Subway: 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, L

The Asian American Arts Alliance announced the first of their Fall ‘11 series of Brainstorm! discussions, ‘Produce and Distribute Your Own Film’, a creative conversation with esteemed directors and producers on how to distribute your own film. Based on the case study of ”Scalp” by director and producer Paul Chau and moderated by Mridu Chandra (coordinating producer & post-production supervisor, “Women, War & Peace”, and Adjunct Professor at NYU’s SCPS Film, Video & Broadcasting Department), the discussion will be informative and provide helpful tips from experienced and successful filmmakers.

Discussions with:
Director & producer, “Falling for Grace”, Fay Ann Lee
Executive producer, “Revolutionary Road”, Henry Fernaine
Director, “New Year Baby” Socheata Pouev

Tickets: $10 General Admision
Free for Alliance+ members and NY Film Academy students

Click here to purchase tickets

This Sunday choreographer Aynsley Vandenbroucke will present a screening and discussion at Moviehouse on the ways artists form relationships and navigate their personal lives and their art. The following Sunday dance filmmaker Zena Bibler will teach a down and dirty DIY dance film-making workshop at Green Space Studio in Long Island City.

Exploring Artistic Relationships

A screening and discussion with Aynsley Vandenbroucke

Moviehouse @ 3rd Ward
Sunday November 13th, 7pm Doors and Food, 8pm Screening
$5 suggested donation

In research for her new piece, Vandenbroucke’s program will examine artists’ relationships between personal partnership and artistic practice. From documentaries and films featuring New York based artists like Patti Smith and John Cage, freedom and commitment, presence and absence, public and private, mobility and stability will be questioned and the debate will be recorded.

3rd Ward (map)
195 Morgan Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11237
718.715.4961
events@3rdward.com

The One-person Crew: Techniques and strategies for getting it all done yourself

Kinetic Cinema Workshop with Zena Bibler

Green Space
Sunday November 20th, 3-6pm
$30 in advance, $35 at the door

Want to make a dance film but don’t know where to start? In this workshop filmmaker and choreographer, Zena Bibler will teach strategies for making dynamic films through use of camera positioning, perspective, rhythm, and movement composition. This workshop is especially geared towards dance filmmakers interested in filming and editing themselves. Register Now!

Green Space (directions)
37-24 24th St. Suite 301
Long Island City, NY 11101
718.956.3037

Monday, November 14, 2011 ~ 5:30pm – 7:00pm

Joyce SoHo
155 Mercer Street (between Prince Street and West Houston)
New York, NY 10012

RSVP: http://dancersvoice.eventbrite.com/

Featured Speakers

Camera Operation and Shooting Strategies with Amy Greenfield & Jeremiah Story

Amy Greenfield

DNA (Dance New Amsterdam)
280 Broadway, Studio 6 (entrance on Chambers)
New York, NY 10007
212.625.8369

October 12, 2011
7:30-10:00pm

Topics will include: basic understanding of camera operation, shooting strategies, and concrete concepts and methods to enable artists to have a more formalized approach to their filming process.

$10 for Dance Films Association or DNA Members; $25 fee for Non-Members.

RSVP to brighid@dancefilms.org with Dance Film Lab in the subject line to reserve your place.

For more information visit the Dance Films Association website

Next Dance Film Lab events:

November 7- Dance Film Lab Screening

November 19 & 20- Moviehouse presents: Curated Screening of works by Dance Film Lab Participants

We’ve all heard the hype. DSLR cameras are the new darlings of Indie and DIY filmmakers. The gods of technology have allowed us to take a still camera and use its high-end lens and gorgeous shallow depth of field to make videos that rival the look of big budget films.

The biggest advantage of using a DSLR over a camcorder is the shallow depth of field. When filmmakers talk about depth of field, they are referring to the amount of the image in frame that is in focus at any one time. When the depth of field is deep, everything in frame is in focus, and it is very difficult for the filmmaker to highlight the parts of the shot that are important to the story. The shallower (or narrower) the depth of field, the more ability you have to pinpoint the crucial parts of a scene, and draw viewers attention in. Most camcorders, including the highest end, have deep depths of field. Now, with the new DSLR cameras, videographers can achieve a cinematic look without needing to break the bank or lug around a huge piece of equipment.

Deep depth of field on left, shallow depth of field on right.

Sounds great? Before you go out and buy a DSLR, you might want to learn about the downsides of going with an instrument that was designed for still photography rather than video.

Beyond the fact that DSLRs give you a beautiful image, they are pretty hard to use as video cameras, particularly for shooting a moving body and even more so if the camera is moving too. This is because they lack some of the basic components that most video cameras have. Their beautiful shallow depth of field is somewhat of a hollow promise when you find that it is incredibly difficult to keep the camera in focus, or pull focus as the subject moves (as dancers generally do). DSLRs don’t have autofocus, which is essential when you are shooting on the fly. Most advanced camcorders come with zebras and peaking tools that let you see the areas of sharpness and overexposure as the subject is moving, but with DSLRs you just have to hope that the subject won’t move out of the preset area.

A DSLR camera decked out for shooting video

The biggest drawback to the DSLR is that it lacks an articulate LCD screen and an electronic view finder (EVF). Almost all video cameras have the ability to look through a view finder while your shooting, as well as move the LCD screen so you can watch the image from different angles. To be able to see what you are shooting with a DSLR you either have to get down to eye level with the static LCD screen (not easy if you are moving or trying to get a low angle on the subject) or you need to buy an external EVF and monitor. These add-ons are not cheap. Most cost around $2000-4000, and many EVF packages are more expensive than the camera itself!

Furthermore, DSLRs have very poor audio recording capabilities. Most are very noisy, and the internal mics are ineffectual. To make matters worse, most DSLRs don’t have XLR cable inputs for external mics, or a headphone jack to hear what you are recording. To get around this, you will need to record the audio separately and sync it later. There is software out there to help with this, but it adds an extra step to the post-production workflow.

Another problem with DSLRs are that they are much more prone to the jellocam effect also called shutter roll, when the subject is moving quickly or the camera is moving. This is obviously not great for shooting dance. Most editing software has pretty good filters to remove jellocam, but if your footage is full of fast movement, you could have major problems shooting it with a DSLR.

Finally, DSLR cameras can only record a maximum of 15 minutes of footage at a time, making them a poor choice for taping a performance or live dance event. They are great for taking beautiful stills in combination with documenting short scenes.

All of these issues aside, I have to say DSLR cameras, even the cheapest ones take stunning video. Jacob Krupnick’s highly anticipated feature-length music video, Girl Walk All Day was shot using DSLR cameras, and the footage looks great. There doesn’t seem to be jellocam problems, and the subject doesn’t go out of focus that much. Audio wasn’t an issue for this piece because it is completely set to the music of Girl Talk.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The bottom line is, DSLR’s can’t completely replace video cameras yet, especially for the purposes of shooting dance, but they can be a highly valuable addition to your video tool kit, especially for capturing close-ups or intimate scenes that advance the story or require conveying emotional depth.

Below is a list of popular DSLR cameras on the market now, and their average price (from B&H):

Canon 5D Mark II – $3200

Famously used to record the final episode of the 6^th season of House.

• 21.1 Megapixel Full-Frame Sensor
• 3.0″ High Resolution LCD Display
• Live View Mode
• 1080p Movie Mode
• Dust & Weather-Resistant
• Self Cleaning Sensor
• Broad ISO Range (50-25600)
• 3.9 fps Burst Mode

Nikon D7000 – $1500

• Includes NIKKOR 18-105mm DX VR Lens
• 16.2MP DX-Format CMOS Sensor
• EXPEED 2 Image Processor
• 1080p HD Video Capture
• 3″ LCD Display
• RAW + JPEG Still Image Capture
• Twin SD/SDHC/SDXC Card Slots
• RGB 3D Matrix Metering System
• i-TTL Flash + Speedlight Compatibility
• Works with 60+ NIKKOR Lenses

Canon 7D – $1859

• * All-Purpose Zoom Lens
• * Optical Image Stabilizer
• * Lens 35mm Equivalent of 29-216mm
• * 18.0 Megapixels
• * 3.0″ LCD
• * HD Video Recording
• * Selectable Video Exposure + Frame Rates
• * Dust & Weather Resistant
• * 100% Viewfinder
• * High Sensitivity (ISO 12800)

Canon T3i – $1100

• SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card Slot
• 18MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
• DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor
• 3.0″ Clear View Vari-Angle LCD
• 100-6400 ISO
• Full HD Movie Mode w/ Manual Exposure
• Wide-Angle 18-135mm (29-216mm Equi) Lens
• 3.7 Frames/Second Continuous Shooting
• 63 Zone Dual-Layer Metering / 9-Point AF
• Intelligent Auto Mode

Lumix GH2 w/ 14-42mm Lens – $1000

• 16.05MP Live MOS Sensor
• 3″ Free-Angle LCD W/460,000 Dots
• 1920×1080 60i HD Video
• MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer)
• Fastest Level of Light Speed AF
• High Sensitivity Up to ISO 12800
• Touch Screen Control for Stills/Video
• iA (Intelligent Auto) Mode Stills/Video
• Dust Reduction System
• Dolby Stereo Sound W/Video

Here are links to other articles and websites for further research:

Zach King’s Camera Buying Guide

“Video DSLRs vs Camcorders” on Luminous Landscapes

Video examples of a Canon T3i vs Sony HDR-FX7