Steve Mims is a writer, director and cinematographer based in Austin, Texas whose award-winning films have screened widely in festivals, theatrically and on television. He is the winner of the Innocence Network’s 2012 Journalism Award for INCENDIARY: THE WILLINGHAM CASE, a documentary he co-produced and directed with Joe Bailey, Jr. Steve earned a Master of Arts in film production from the University of Texas at Austin and over the years has been a film lecturer there. He currently teaches RTF366K: Introduction to Narrative at UT. He also teaches through Austin FilmWorks. His feature film ARLO & JULIE (shot on the Canon C100) comes out in May, 2015.
In a world where cameras are smaller and more versatile dollies have often given way to all manner of fluid movement devices. Most have evolved some type of friction-less rail system, ushering in the “age of the slider.” While that’s…
I’ve included all the details I think are essential to not just the camera and it’s function, but the script and process as well, compete with names, dates, work flows and strategies. We’re finishing post production as I write this, and the film looks great. We had a delightful time shooting, thanks to a genuinely bright and funny cast, a small, industrious crew and an amazing new camera, the Canon EOS C300.
This has evolved into a long article as I have not only ventured into the technical aspects but into a broader perspective of filmmaking. For me, technical choices are mostly tied to aesthetic decisions. Sometimes aesthetics determine the technical choice and sometimes it’s the other way around. As I started this piece I found myself wading into issues that ultimately pushed this project in a distinctive direction, far outside issues of frame rates, shutter speeds, ISO, and codecs.