Be sure to visit the Filmtools booth at Cinegear. We’ll be handing out coupons for a free Filmtools t-shirt! Present your coupon and Cinegear Badge at our Filmtools store in Burbank to get your free shirt. We’ll also have many of our newest and coolest products for show and tell, so come by to check them out first-hand.
We just wanted to send out a big “Thanks” to Indie Rentals for loaning us two Red One Cameras for our use at the Filmtools booth during the J.L. Fisher Open House! You guys rock!
To check out what the folks over at Indie Rentals are up to, visit their website at: www.indierentals.com
You are cordially invited to the 4th Annual J.L. Fisher, SOC, ICG, ASC Mixer & BBQ Lunch Event! No RSVP needed, just drop on by Saturday, May 16th, 2009 between 10am and 4pm. Come check out J.L. Fisher’s new product developments, take a tour of the facility with Jim Fisher (11am & 12:30pm), mingle with fellow industry professionals, make new connections, catch up with old friends, and sit in on the discussion panel (details below).Moving Camera Operation Seminar 2:00PM- 3:30PM
Join us in the sound boom room at J.L. Fisher with members of the ASC, SOC, Local 600 Camera Guild and Local 80 Grips. Moderated by George Spiro Dibie, ASC. The seminar will focus on the working relationship between the Cinematographer, Camera Operator, 1st AC, Key Grip and Dolly Grip when using Dollies and Jib Arms.
Below is a video put together by the folks over at FILMCAST Live! from a past J.L. Fisher BBQ Mixer Open House Event.
Be Prepared!
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| Arri Arrimax Black Cap – 355508 Regular Price: $15.00 |
American Cinematographer Logo Khaki Baseball Style Cap / Hat Regular Price: $15.00 |
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| Arri 416 Hat – Black Regular Price: $15.00 |
Arri Cap / Hat Regular Price: $20.00 Our Low Price: $15.00 |
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| Kino Flo Cap / Hat Regular Price: $20.00 Our Low Price: $15.00 |
SOC Cap / Hat – Tan or Black Regular Price: $17.00 Our Low Price: $13.95 |
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| Dorfman Pacific Big Shanghai Hat 399S Regular Price: $8.50 |
Dorfman Pacific Lifeguard Scala Hat 318OS Regular Price: $15.00 |
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| Dorfman Pacific Lifeguard Rush Straw Hat 388C XL Regular Price: $8.50 |
Dorfman Pacific Lifeguard Braided Hat MG3OS Regular Price: $12.00 |
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SEE YOU THERE!
Yet another large shipment of Pelican Cases delivered to Filmtools. Come and get 'em!
Our customers know that if Pelican makes it, we have it. That’s why we sell so many Pelican Cases each month, and get frequent shipments delivered by the truckload. Since we buy in such large quantities, we can extend excellent prices to you – our customers.
If you’re in need of a weatherproof hardcase for your gear, come to Filmtools and we’ll get you set up with the perfect size and interior padding. We carry everything from their large trunks and airline cases, to their super-small micro cases for memory cards and hand-held devices. You can get them with foam, with dividers, or empty, all at a discount.
All Pelican Cases are watertight, airtight, dustproof, crushproof, and built Pelican tough! Features include atmospheric pressure purge valve and a personalizeable nameplate. As if that wasn’t enough, all cases come with a Pelican Lifetime Guarantee. When it has to be safe, trust Pelican. When you want vast selection and discount prices, trust Filmtools®.
Click Here to browse Pelican Cases at Filmtools.com
It’s official! The pCam Cinematography Software for iPhone has completed Beta testing and is now Available at the iTunes App Store for a mere $39.99.
pCam Calculates DEPTH OF FIELD (including Hyperfocal-Distance) – SPLITS-APERTURE FINDER – FIELD OF VIEW (Picture size) with PREVIEW -
EXPOSURE (compensating for changes in Shutter Angle, FPS Speed, Filters & Film Speeds) - RUNNING TIME TO LENGTH – SHOOTING TO SCREEN TIME – HMI (safe speeds & shutters) – COLOR CORRECTION- DIOPTER (power & focus distances) – MACRO (magnification factors, depth of field & stop corrections)- TIME LAPSE – UNDERWATER DISTANCE – SCENE ILLUMINATION – LIGHT COVERAGE. It’s a wonderful set of programs, up-dated to include HD. In fact it includes all common Film & HD Camera Formats AND the ability to add user-defined custom Camera Formats, CoC and Filters!!! Definitely check it out.
David Eubank (First AC in L.A., Developer of pCAM)
pCam User’s Manual (PDF 804kb)
Click Icon Below to Buy pCAM
Filmtools is happy to announce we’ve added TV Logic LCD HD Video Monitors to our online store. TV Logic makes ultra high-end professional video broadcast technology. We’ll be adding their full line of professional video products soon. For now we offer 2 monitors: The 7″ and the 17″.
The TV Logic 7″ Multi-format LCD Monitor LVM-071W is the most comprehensive 7″ HD LCD display on the market today. It combines the newest 7″ LED-backlight widescreen LCD panel with Multi-format inputs (HD/SD-SDI, Composite, Component, YC, DVI(w/HDCP)), a built-in Waveform / Vector Scope display, battery mount, and speaker with volume control – all in a sleek die cast aluminum package. All these features combined with such a portable size makes the LVM-071WA great choice for broadcast and production applications. [Features + Specs...]
The TV Logic 17″ Multi-format LCD Monitor LVM-171WP is the higher end of TVLogic’s two 17 inch monitoring solutions. This unit features a true 16:9 Aspect Ratio LCD panel and high end video processing performance allowing for faithful reproduction of interlaced video and unparalleled scaling performance. True Multi-Format support and upgradability to Dual-Link SDI help to make this unit suitable for even the most demanding applications. This guy is solid and sturdy, weighing in at about 25 lbs. – no doubt a Premium Monitoring Solution for Rack Mount, Desktop, or Field Use. [Features + Specs...]
If you’re looking for the cream of the crop when it comes to your video monitors, this is it.
Stan McClain, Filmtools President & CEO
By Stan McClain
Filmtools has achieved a remarkable growth since its inception. We now have 26 people on payroll and we are hiring two more office workers next week. We contribute our success to two main reasons. We have a great team of individuals who represent the company in our best interests and they provide the best possible customer service. The other reason is because we have customers who trust us and they feel comfortable conducting business with us.
It’s hard to miss the fact that Filmtools is a meeting place or rendezvous point for people who work in the film and video business, and its common to see people “run into each other” here… people whose paths have crossed before…maybe a few days ago, or maybe years ago.. it’s fun to watch these “chance meetings” unfold right in front of us.
Filmtools is a place to catch up and reminisce about old times. It’s also a place where people discuss current events and their well being. Fortunately the people who are at Filmtools are usually picking up something for a project, thus they are working, but without question however, the topic of employment opportunities seems to dominate most conversations and the recent IATSE contract negotiations is the main topic of discussion. Many of you don’t know that besides owning Filmtools, I am a member of three guilds: Local 600, DGA and SAG, and I’m a past president of The Society of Camera Operators.
Most of my background was as an aerial camera operator and like most specialists it was rare for me to work on a TV series or a feature film from start to finish. I was usually a day player. The difference between 300 hours and 400 hours will be a death sentence to anyone who is either an aspiring union member or a specialist who does not have a 9-5 weekly union job. I feel for them and I know firsthand how empty one can feel, and I know that there are hundreds if not thousands of IATSE members who do not have insurance nor will they ever if this contract is ratified.
I still pay my union dues, even though I have not accepted any aerial work for over nine years now, so its still my business and right to form an opinion. The Filmtools customers are comprised of several major TV shows (Management) and end users who use our supplies and equipment (Labor), so for me to speak up is a risk. While I don’t have to worry about some studio saying “We’ll never hire Stan McClain again”… I’m not looking for a job anyway…but I might have a concern that Management may say to the producers on shows “Don’t buy supplies from Filmtools” and that is something that concerns me. I’ll take my chances.
My “beef” is not with management however. They’ve done exactly what they are hired to do… get the best deal they can for the producers…and they’ve done an outstanding job at negotiating for the AMPTP. What I’m concerned about is the total lack of transparency within the IATSE’s dealings. While it’s not my job at Filmtools to be involved with politics, I have to say that the welfare of the individuals who are my customers does mean something to me. Some of my customers are friends I made back in the 70’s and 80’s and others have become friends since I met them here. I have a moral obligation to stand up for those who support my company. Without my customers, I have nothing.
As most of you who are in the union know that this last round of contract negotiations hit the members like a drive by shooting: 400 hours minimum to qualify for medical insurance. I have yet to meet one single person who thinks the sacrifice the union leaders made on Labor’s behalf was in the best interest of the members… short term or long term. Only after they made this decision on our behalf, did they bother to tell us about it, but when they did, they attempted to instill fear and tried to make us quake in our boots if we even thought to stand up to them. The door was slammed shut. No discussion. Endorse the new contract or else!
As a card carrying union member, I am proud that, in the past the IATSE was formed and the Union protected us from those “evil blood sucking producers” (Really they aren’t… they’re just ordinary business people… who by nature have to attempt to obtain the best deal they can). I am more concerned that IATSE is not in touch with the members’ needs. The Union Business representatives, have not only rolled over and played dead, but they are adamant that they do not want to go back to the bargaining table on our behalf. It’s as if they were knocked down in the first few seconds of the first round of a small-time fight, and they are scared to finish the round. Their behavior has not resembled the fighting spirit that we think of when we think of our leaders in talks with AMPTP.
The union entered into politics and told us to vote for the pro-labor ticket: Obama. America did and today (literally) the President is speaking loudly about the deplorable medical insurance conditions which exist in America. Why then, has the IATSE not only abandoned their endorsement of the President, but they’ve abandoned their allegiances and obligations to the union members as well?
The unions have not provided an open forum for the members to discuss the issues; they’ve only issued their one-sided mandates by mail & email . They have evidently abandoned the United States Constitution’s Bill of Rights’ First Amendment: Free speech. It’s obvious by their actions that they are opposed to us speaking to one another about our dissent. I am not anti-union, by the contrary, I’m pro-union… but I’m for a union that represents the members rights and actively protects them. I’m not sure who the present union is representing.
If you have not cast your ballot, I encourage you to play it safe and vote “no” against the ratification. For the sake of our future, let’s all hope that the No vote prevails. I have faith that the majority will not be intimidated and we will have an opportunity to fix the damage that our leaders are proposing to inflict upon us. Should we prevail, our next duty is to decide if we will give our representatives another chance to do what’s right. If they have lost our total trust, then we need to prepare for a real battle and seek out new leadership. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Sincerely,
Stan McClain
Great news! The Arri Mini Mattebox Follow Focus Kit designed for smaller pro-sumer video cameras (such as the EX1, EX3 and HVX200) is now available for purchase in individual parts “a la carte”. Each component, including the Follow Focus Gear Adapter ring and Mattebox clamp adapter ring, can be purchased alone. If you’ve already purchased the Mini Mattebox / Follow Focus Kit and need a case to carry it all in, check out the Arri hard case designed specifically for the 337175 kit. And the good news is, Filmtools has the lowest prices on these Arri items that you will find anywhere. Click any of the links below to go directly to the item, or Click Here for all parts.
The Complete Kit w/ and w/out carrying case:
The Arri Mini Mattebox & Follow Focus Kit Parts sold separately:
IKAN 8" HDMI LCD Monitor shown mounted to a Filmtools 4.5" Suction Cup w/ 3/8-16 Spud (sold separately)
Just added to the Filmtools.com Online Store… The Ikan 8″ High Definition HDMI LCD V8000HDMI Monitor. This LCD Monitor includes inputs for S-Video and SD/HD HDMI input, enabling you to use an array of different devices. The rear of the monitor now features 100mm VESA mounting threads ideally for our Filmtools Vesa Mount.
The V8000HDMI has a built in battery support, but also designed to include a wide variety of options for both prosumer and the professional alike. Ikan gives you the option of powering with Sony “L” series batteries, or DV camera batteries from Canon, Panasonic and others with Ikans new DV battery adapter plates. When you purchase the Ikan 8″ HDMI LCD Monitor, an adapter plate is included, and you’re given the option to choose between Sony, JVC, Canon, and Panasonic.
For professional grade battery systems, Ikan developed the battery mount suspended separately from the monitor, transferring the weight of the battery system to the metal Invert Bracket and away from the monitor.
The Ikan 8″ HDMI LCD Monitor is a stocked item and our Everyday Low Price is: $899.
For a limited time, get a FREE Bogen Padded Tripod Bag OR a Manfrotto 558B Pro Video Monopod when you purchase select Manfrotto Tripod Kits at Filmtools.com!
