Ask David Mullen ANYTHING

[Tom Lowe]

is that the version netflix is going to send me. :(

no better copies?

[Adrian Correia]

Tom -

yesasia.com for reflections

http://us.yesasia.com/kr/PrdDept.asp...id-1004581448/

just click on the "English" button - expected release date is July 30th, 2007

no english subs though...unless you just want to watch the pretty pictures....I am sure HKFlix.com will feature copies from neighboring countries shortly thereafter that have english subs....they always do...

[Tom Lowe]

Tom -

yesasia.com for reflections

http://us.yesasia.com/kr/PrdDept.asp...id-1004581448/

just click on the "English" button - expected release date is July 30th, 2007

no english subs though...unless you just want to watch the pretty pictures....I am sure HKFlix.com will feature copies from neighboring countries shortly thereafter that have english subs....they always do...

Hmmmm.... I wonder if I could even play that DVD disc in my PC?

Are you sure there are no English subs?

And thanks for that link!

[zak forrest]

I know this is not a popular opinion, but I get a little bored by excessive realism sometimes, two-hours of slice-of-life shooting, usually handheld, but probably I'm only bored when the narrative is boring so I start thinking about the technique. When the narrative is interesting to me, then a very realistic style can be very apt and motivated.

whats your opinion of gus van sants newest three, and also bela tarrs work

[Adrian Correia]

Hmmmm.... I wonder if I could even play that DVD disc in my PC?

Are you sure there are no English subs?

And thanks for that link!

There are player programs for PCs that do circumvent region coding and can convert PAL to NTSC and such....just not sure which ones.

The site says no english language track or subtitles...then again yesasia.com is wrong...often...

I am sure there will be other editions available rather quickly....just keep checking yesasia.com and HKFlix.com.

[Jason Murphy]

is that the version netflix is going to send me. :(

no better copies?

Unfortunately, at this moment, there aren't any better copies, to the best of my knowledge (though I do keep hoping that the Criterion Collection will eventually put out Hou's 'Sadness Trilogy' - City of Sadness, Puppetmaster, and Good Men, Good Women - in a boxset sometime). I've seen The Puppetmaster 5 times on 35mm; it's marvelous. Each time I've seen it on 35, it's been projected at 1.85:1, so I assume that's the proper aspect ratio. Hou or Li may prefer the full frame composition for DVD, though I kind of doubt it.

Have only been able to get through the DVD a few times, and that's only because I was doing a close viewing of a few scenes for an essay I was writing on Hou Hsiao-hsien's work. The transfer's kind of painful. But probably still worth it; The Puppetmaster is a fascinating film, one of the best of the '90s, in my opinion.


EDIT: Speaking of excess realism, David, was wondering if you'd seen anything by the Dardenne Bros. (your description of pet aesthetic peeves sound a lot like their movies; however, their narrative precision is pretty remarkable).

[Chris Nuzzaco]

David,

When you were starting out, what was it like making the leap to full time DP? I ask because I'm now starting to walk that line, I have my first low budget feature coming up in August if all goes well. I've also shot numerous short films as well as some pilot TV shows, one of which is headed to the New York Television Festival, which is basically the Sundance of pilot TV. So I'm starting to get some notice, but I'm still wondering how this jump is going to work....

Did you just go out and find work? I've managed to pull that off and nab some smaller projects. Usually I'll find an ad on a local film list serve and send in the requested information (reel, resume, etc).

Thanks!

[David Mullen ASC]

It makes me feel old to say "back in 1991 when I graduated film school, there was no internet..." (actually there was, I guess.) But I don't recall going online much until the mid 1990's.

I had a part-time job at a sound efx company logging in efx into their database, while shooting on the side. I did one feature during that time, and then the next year, a fellow graduate hooked me up with a second feature. About that time, I decided to quit my part-time job and just concentrate on shooting. I started to get some EPK work through the editor and director of my second feature, so that paid the bills. That... and a wife with a full-time job with a healthcare plan.

The work just snowballed, but in slow-motion, one job leading to the next. Editor of the second feature introduced me the director of my fourth, producer of the fourth hired me to shoot four more features, directors of some of those features hired me, etc. Even an actor on two of those features hired me to shoot a feature he was directing.

[Chris Nuzzaco]

I had a part-time job at a sound efx company logging in efx into their database, while shooting on the side.

Good to know I'm not the only DP out there pulling a part-time job! I work part-time in a video lab for a university, but they recently put me back on contractor status, so I'm only guaranteed one day a week at best, needless to say freelance shooting has become a very big priority for me.

Did you start out in California? I'm actually in the DC metro area, so the market is a bit weird over here.

[David Mullen ASC]

Yes, I've been in Los Angeles since 1982.

The Tiffen Low-Con filter has sort of a mild fog-filter effect and was used on a lot of movies in the 1970's, notably "Barry Lyndon".

The Tiffen Ultra-Con doesn't have that "blooming" effect (halation) around lights though it will wash-out the image completely if you pan the camera into a big glare or light. It lifts up the blacks and lowers contrast without the softening effect that a Low-Con gives you. So it's more subtle in general.

I haven't used the other filters like the Soft-Con, etc.