How to get the most from your Arri-S 16mm Film Camera

To get the best of an Arri-S 16mm film camera is all about preparation and exactly knowing what you want . Also you really need to rehearse a lot the blocking/lightening to exactly know where the camera will be and get the perfect focus and depth of field you want. Film is really precious and can go out really fast so the preparation process should be really the most important of all. Loading the camera is pretty simple once you get it but always double check because you don't want the film to broke in the middle of your main scene where the actors are giving the best of themselves. You need to really measure every movement of the actors because sometimes with a little movement of the head he can become out of focus except if you want that to happen. If you plan every detail you want and prepare it with with a lot of organization you're gonna get the best of this camera . By the way be very carefull because what you see in the lens of the camera is not what you will get on the screen , and you can't plug a monitor too so be VERY METICULOUS and think of every detail in the frame you want to get. The Arri-S is really easy to manipulate. it's pretty small and light (not lighter than a Digital Camera) and can be carry easily. With this kind of camera you need at least 3 lenses : 10mm 25mm and a 60mm to fit all the range of shot you want (ECU to ELS). I suppose if you're shooting on a Arri-s you don't want to edit old-school style with your the negative and cut it and then fix it to where you want to cut , the best way is to Digitalized it , it's pretty expensive but I swear when you're gonna see your footage you gonna faint (Tint and tone of film is so much richer than a basic digital camera). Speaking of Film , when you load the camera always do it in the shade or in the dark if you have experience because you don't want your film to be over-exposed. Be even more carefull when you take out the film out of the camera because you have in your hand all the work of a team and if you drop it and exposed I can tell that you're a dead man. Anyway that's a way simplify tutorial for the Arri-S 16mm but I hope now you know what to expect .